alleviate
verb
al·le·vi·ate
| \ ə-ˈlē-vē-ˌāt
\
\
alleviated;
alleviating;
alleviates
Definition of alleviate
a
: to make (something, such as pain or suffering) more bearable
a drug that alleviates the symptoms using relaxation techniques to alleviate stress To draw customers, [Richard G.] Rosenberg became certified in pedorthics—an area that involves the design, make and modification of shoes to alleviate foot ailments.— Dana Hedgpeth
b
: to partially remove or correct (something undesirable)
government programs to alleviate poverty Enticing retirees into the work force to alleviate the current labor shortage …— Cullen Murphy
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Other Words from alleviate
alleviation
\ -ˌlē-vē-ˈā-shən
\
noun
\
noun
the alleviation of arthritic pain
… the stability of the developed world is as dependent on alleviation of problems in the third world as on the ability to keep the nuclear arms race under control.
— Carl Marcy
alleviator
\ -ˈlē-vē-ˌā-tər
\
noun,
plural alleviators
\
noun,
plural alleviators
… firefighters' camaraderie with the city and with each other is the biggest stress alleviator, [former Boston Fire Commissioner Paul] Christian said.
— Justine Hoffher
Synonyms & Antonyms for alleviate
Synonyms
allay, assuage, ease, help, mitigate, mollify, palliate, relieve, soothe
Antonyms
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Examples of alleviate in a Sentence
For decades, as you probably know, researchers have found that when you tell patients that you're giving them medicine, many report that their symptoms are alleviated, even if they're only taking sugar pills.
— Daniel Zwerdling, Gourmet, August 2004
Granholm has spent the morning giving a major public address on state finance issues, courting local officials in meetings, and, in between, talking with me. We'd discussed the state of the Michigan economy and her ideas for developing a new high-tech corridor outside Detroit that focuses on homeland security innovation; we went over her ideas for alleviating overcrowding in the state's emergency rooms.
— Jonathan Cohn, New Republic, 14 Oct. 2002
When applied in ointment form, capsaicin helps alleviate the discomfort of arthritis and psoriasis. Taken internally as a diluted tincture, it helps keep the blood flowing smoothly and strengthens the cardiovascular system.
— Nina Simonds, Gourmet, September 2002
Ridley, a British journalist with a doctoral degree in zoology, does touch on the incredible potential of genetics for alleviating human misery. … But much of his remarkable book is focused on a higher plane of pure intellectual discovery.
— Lee M. Silver, New York Times Book Review, 27 Feb. 2000
Before discussing what must be done to alleviate the environmental and social crises afflicting the globe, Chief Oren Lyons … of the Turtle Clan of the Onondaga Nation, wanted to drive to a gym in Syracuse, New York, and watch his son shadowbox.
— Paul Schneider, Audubon, March/April 1994
finding ways to alleviate stress
a car pool alleviates some of the stress of driving the kids to and from school every day
Where was someone to alleviate this robbery of his life?
—“The End of the World” P. 531, THE BOOK THIEF, Markus Zusak, Alfred A. Knopf, N.Y. © 2005
The relationship between king and parliament went nowhere. Bitter speeches were made on both sides, which James’s late attempts at mollification did little to alleviate.
—“Four” P. 64, GOD’S SECRETARIES, Adam Nicolson, HarperCollins Publishers Inc., 220.5 N54g ©2003
“I’m feeding a lot of excitement myself.” In fact, I felt an instant euphoria at Kimmery’s alleviating presence. If this was the prospect of Zen I was ready to begin my training.
—“One Mind” P. 194, MOTHERLESS BROOKLYN [fiction], Jonathan Lethem, Vintage Books 813.54 L34m (1999) 2001
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Recent Examples on the Web
The sprained ankle of Texans wide receiver Keke Coutee is alleviated a bit by DeAndre Carter. — Aaron Wilson, Houston Chronicle, "DeAndre Carter fills in for Keke Coutee in Texans-Lions game," 17 Aug. 2019 All this outsourcing and off-loading could alleviate the burden on doctors and pave the way for a revitalized connection with patients. — Eric Topol, The New Yorker, "Why Doctors Should Organize," 5 Aug. 2019 There are candies and brownies, too, all marketed as calming or anxiety-alleviating, with detailed explanations of how the herbal supplements, amino acids or compounds within can put us at ease. — Maura Judkis, Twin Cities, "A dozen stress-relief snacks, tinctures and teas later, and she’s still anxious," 3 Aug. 2019 The drugs that are available can alleviate some of the disease’s symptoms, but don’t work to address the root cause of the brain disease. — Alice Park, Time, "A New Alzheimer's Blood Test Proved 94% Accurate in Finding Brain Changes Related to the Disease," 1 Aug. 2019 This alleviates fears that their roles will be eliminated. — Gwen Moran, Fortune, "Your Job Will Be Automated—Here’s How to Figure out When A.I. Could Take Over," 1 Aug. 2019 With fewer candidates expected to qualify for the September and October debates, some of the issues could be alleviated. — Aamer Madhani, USA TODAY, "5 things we learned from the Detroit Democratic debates," 1 Aug. 2019 Layering learning modes could alleviate this and increase comprehension. — Bianca Sanchez, chicagotribune.com, "Do the reading! What college professors and Robert Mueller have in common.," 23 July 2019 Workplace and policy changes can alleviate their struggles. — Frank J. Infurna, Quartz, "The midlife crisis is getting worse," 20 July 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'alleviate.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for alleviate
alleviate
verb
English Language Learners Definition of alleviate
: to reduce the pain or trouble of (something) : to make (something) less painful, difficult, or severe
See the full definition for alleviate in the English Language Learners Dictionary