Alleviate.
Synonyms:
| abate, | lighten, | reduce, | remove, |
| assuage, | mitigate, | relieve, | soften. |
| lessen, | moderate, | ||
Etymologically, to alleviate is to lift a burden toward oneself, and so lighten it for the bearer; to relieve is to lift it back from the bearer, nearly or quite away; to remove is to take it away altogether. Alleviate is thus less than relieve; relieve, ordinarily, less than remove. We alleviate, relieve or remove the trouble; we relieve, not alleviate, the sufferer. Assuage is, by derivation, to sweeten; mitigate, to make mild; moderate, to bring within measure; abate, to beat down, and so make less. We abate a fever; lessen anxiety; moderate passions or desires; lighten burdens; mitigate or alleviate pain; reduce inflammation; soften, assuage, or moderate grief; we lighten or mitigate punishments; we relieve any suffering of body or mind that admits of help, comfort, or remedy. Alleviate has been often confused with allay. Compare ALLAY.
Antonyms:
| aggravate, | embitter, | heighten, | intensify, | make worse. |
| augment, | enhance, | increase, | magnify, |