lessen

[les-uhn] / ˈlɛs ən /

VERB

lower, reduce

Synonyms

STRONGEST

abate curtail decrease dilute diminish dwindle ease erode impair lighten minimize mitigate narrow shrink slacken taper off weaken

STRONG

abridge amputate attenuate clip close contract crop cut de-escalate decline degrade downsize drain minify moderate soft pedal taper thin truncate

WEAK

become smaller cut back die down grow less roll back slack up slow down take the bite out take the edge off take the sting out wind down

Antonyms

STRONGEST

develop enlarge expand extend grow increase intensify irritate lengthen prolong strengthen worsen

STRONG

go up rise stretch

WEAK

raise

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Bankers leading an IPO typically want to match buyers and sellers for about 10% of the shares sold before opening trading to lessen volatility.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 12, 2026

Pfizer is hopeful that the experimental drug can lessen the side effects like nausea and diarrhea that occur with GLP-1s.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 6, 2026

“Working together may not have been in the cards for us; however, that does not lessen my enthusiasm for the band,” he wrote.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 5, 2026

However, Bernanke warned, if future Fed communications put too many opt outs in the forward guidance, it could lessen the strength of the central bank’s commitment to a specific path.

From Barron's • Jun. 2, 2026

Perhaps the naive foreigners thought that removing us from the war would lessen our hatred for the RUF.

From "A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier" by Ishmael Beah

Vocabulary lists containing lessen

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