# alleviated

/əˈɫiviˌeɪtɪd/ (US) · /ɐlˈiːvɪˌeɪtɪd/ (UK) · CEFR C1 · Adjective

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/alleviated
Updated: 2026-10-13

## Definition

describing a situation where pain, a problem, or a difficult feeling has been made less severe. You use this when something bad is still there, but it is easier to deal with now.

For teachers: referring to a state in which suffering, deficiency, or a problem has been made less intense or more bearable. Often used as a participial adjective to describe symptoms or social conditions.

## Examples

- The new medicine left him with alleviated symptoms by the next morning.
- After the government intervention, the community saw alleviated poverty levels, though many families still struggled to meet all their needs.
- The report noted that while the immediate crisis was over, the alleviated pressure on the healthcare system was only temporary and likely to return during the winter months.

## Synonyms

relieved, eased, mitigated, lessen, reduced, assuaged, soothed

## Antonyms

aggravated, exacerbate, worsen, intensify

## Pitfalls

- Not "The medicine alleviated his health" but "The medicine alleviated his pain" — Alleviate must take a negative condition as its object (pain, stress, poverty), not a positive or neutral one like 'health'.

## Usage notes

- Often functions as a participial adjective; when used as a verb, it is transitive and requires an object representing a negative state.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.