alleviate
uh-LEE-vee-ayt
/əˈliːvieɪt/
To make (suffering, deficiency, or a problem) less severe.
Alleviate suggests a temporary or partial relief rather than a total cure or solution.
The story behind the word. From the Latin 'ad' (to) and 'levis' (light). It literally means 'to make light'. It's related to 'levitate' (to float) and 'levity' (humor that lightens a mood). When you alleviate a problem, you are taking the 'weight' off someone's shoulders.
Word relationships
- assuage: Usually refers to soothing unpleasant feelings like guilt or fear.
- palliate: To make a disease or its symptoms less severe or unpleasant without removing the cause.
- exacerbate: To make a problem, bad situation, or negative feeling worse.
- intensify: To become or make more intense.
Commonly confused with
- mitigate: Mitigate is often used for risks and impacts; alleviate is often used for pain and suffering.
Word family
- alleviation (noun): The action of making something less severe.
Collocations
- alleviate poverty
- alleviate pain
- alleviate symptoms
- alleviate pressure
Example sentences
- "The government introduced subsidies to alleviate the impact of rising food prices on low-income families." Social Policy
- "International aid was sent to the region to alleviate the suffering caused by the drought." Disaster Relief
Memory hook
Think of an 'Elevator': it 'lifts' you up, just like alleviating a problem 'lifts' the burden. To alleviate is to 'leave-it-lighter'.
When not to use
Don't use it for physical objects (e.g., 'alleviate the heavy box'); use 'lighten' instead. Alleviate is for abstract burdens.
Fun facts
- In medicine, 'palliative care' is focused on alleviating symptoms rather than curing the disease.
- The word 'levy' (as in a tax) comes from the same root, but in the sense of 'raising' money.
Related words
Explore more words
mitigate, palliative, assuage, soothe, compassionate, de-escalate
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