Word
mitigate
Phoneticsmit·i·gate, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈmɪtəˌɡeɪt/
UK/mˈɪtɪɡˌeɪt/
Definition
v. to make a bad situation, a problem, or a feeling less harmful or painful.
v. to lessen the severity, intensity, or impact of something unpleasant or harmful. Transitive — requires a direct object such as 'risk', 'damage', or 'effects'.
Examples
“Wearing a helmet helps mitigate head injuries.”
“The company introduced new safety rules to mitigate the risk of workplace accidents.”
“Central banks often raise interest rates to mitigate inflation, though this policy can simultaneously slow economic growth and increase unemployment.”
Examples
simple
“Wearing a helmet helps mitigate head injuries.”
contextual
“The company introduced new safety rules to mitigate the risk of workplace accidents.”
complex
“Central banks often raise interest rates to mitigate inflation, though this policy can simultaneously slow economic growth and increase unemployment.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “mitigate” in context.
Verb
01. mitigate effect
“The government implemented new policies to mitigate the negative effects of the economic crisis.”
verb + noun
Usage
Commonly used in professional and academic contexts regarding risk management or environmental impact.
Teaching tip
Learners often confuse 'mitigate' with 'militate'. Remind them that 'mitigate' means to soften a blow, while 'militate against' means to work against something.
Pitfall
The new laws will mitigate against the problem.
The new laws will mitigate the problem.
In modern English, 'mitigate' is transitive and does not take the preposition 'against'. You may be thinking of 'militate against'.
Real-World Examples
“Our work is part of HeatReady Schools , a program at Arizona State University that helps schools prepare for and mitigate the effects of heat.” “Pedro Sánchez's government hopes to bring the aid back again from September 1st to try and mitigate the problems of what happened in July and August.” Etymology
From Middle English mitigaten (“to relieve pain, soothe; (swelling) to abate; (hemorrhoids) to relieve; (the mind) to placate, appease; to end, check; to stop, cease”), from mitigat(e) (“mitigated, alleviated, relived”, also used as the past participle of mitigaten) + -en (verb-forming suffix), borrowed from Latin mītigātus, the perfect passive participle of mītigō (“to make soft, ripe; to tame, pacify”), from mītis (“gentle, mild, ripe”) + -igō (“to do, make”), of uncertain origin, but perhaps from Proto-Indo-European *meh₁y- (“mild, soft”).
From Middle English mitigat(e) (“mitigated”, also used as the past participle of mitigaten and of mitigate in Early Modern English), see -ate (adjective-forming suffix) and Etymology 1 for more.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Word family
VERB
NOUN
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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- Formal, Academic
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