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.

White House spokesman Kush Desai said the administration has been working with business representatives on how to lessen the impact of the war.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 12, 2026

“I think the government needs to interact with the oil and fuel world and talk about how they can take this pain away from us, or at least try to lessen this blow,” he said.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026

And some opponents of the term “functional cure” say it may lessen the urgency for achieving the ultimate goal: a complete cure.

From Slate • Mar. 29, 2026

This has enabled Pyongyang to lessen dependence on its main long-term backer, China.

From Barron's • Mar. 25, 2026

He learned, while breathing in, to quiet his heartbeat, learned to lessen his heartbeats, until there were few and hardly any more.

From "Siddhartha" by Hermann Hesse

Vocabulary lists containing lessen

Going Down: Synonyms for "Fall"

Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!

Chop Chop: Synonyms for "Cut"

Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!

Road Trip Magical Mystery List A

Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!