mitigation
mit-uh-GAY-shun
/ˌmɪt.ɪˈɡeɪ.ʃən/
The action of reducing the severity, seriousness, or harmfulness of a disease or risk.
Focuses on softening impact or reducing severity rather than achieving total eradication.
The story behind the word. From Latin 'mitigationem', from 'mitigare' (to make mild), formed from 'mitis' (soft or mild). Mitigation literally means turning something harsh into something mild.
Word relationships
- alleviation: Alleviation focuses on lightening physical suffering; mitigation focuses on lessening overall risk and severity.
- aggravation: Aggravation worsens a bad situation, whereas mitigation reduces its harmful impact.
Commonly confused with
- prevention: Prevention stops a risk entirely; mitigation reduces damage if exposure occurs.
Word family
- mitigate (verb): To make less severe or harmful
- mitigating (adjective): Serving to reduce severity
Collocations
- mitigation strategy
- risk mitigation
- harm mitigation
Example sentences
- "Effective ventilation and outdoor gatherings served as vital mitigation strategies during the viral outbreak." Public Health
Memory hook
MITIGATION makes a severe situation MILD. Mitigation = Turning harsh risks mild.
When not to use
Do not use when a disease or threat is completely cured or eliminated.
Fun facts
- In legal defense, 'mitigating circumstances' are evidence presented to lessen the severity of a criminal sentence.
Related words
Explore more words
mitigate, remediation, offset, Climate Change, Greenhouse Gas
Also appears in
- Conflict → Excuses & Justifications
- Business → Workplace Hazards & Safety
- Technology → Ecology & Climate Science
- Law → Clemency, Pardons & Parole
- Nature → Environmental Conservation
- Nature → Urban Environmental Planning
- Environmental Policy & Sustainability Economics → Climate Policy & International Agreements
- Environmental Policy & Sustainability Economics → Urban Pollution & Smog
- Environmental Policy & Sustainability Economics → International Environmental Accords
- Environmental Policy & Sustainability Economics → Disaster Mitigation & Resilience
- Health Sciences → Global Pandemics & Disease Control
- Aviation & Maritime Transport → Aviation Safety & Investigations
- Law → Traffic Courts & Citations
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