mitigation

noun

mit·​i·​ga·​tion ˌmi-tə-ˈgā-shən 

plural mitigations

: the act of mitigating something or the state of being mitigated : the process or result of making something less severe, dangerous, painful, harsh, or damaging

mitigation of suffering

mitigation of punishment

There was, in sum, a period during the Cold War … when a mitigation of the Cold War, including a renegotiation of some of its most troublesome tensions, was possible or even probable.

—John Lukacs

Examples of mitigation in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Other business skills whose courses are growing quickly included Microsoft PowerPoint, project management and risk mitigation. —Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 21 Mar. 2025

Since then, a net-positive movement has taken off, with more and more companies making regenerative impacts, as opposed to merely mitigation, their goal. —Azra Nurkic, Forbes, 20 Mar. 2025

Most importantly, any dam removal plan must include comprehensive mitigation for impacts to our water intake system. —Courier-News, Chicago Tribune, 20 Mar. 2025

Of course, when an entire community is taking mitigation seriously, these efforts become even more effective — and can result in more discounts. —Ron Lieber, New York Times, 19 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for mitigation

• abdication
• aberration
• abjuration
• abnegation
• abrogation
• acceptation
• acclamation
• acclimation
• accusation
• activation
• actuation
• acylation

Medical Definition

mitigation

noun

mit·​i·​ga·​tion ˌmit-ə-ˈgā-shən 

1

: the act of mitigating or state of being mitigated

the cure, prevention, or mitigation of disease

—Encyclopedia Americana

2

: something that mitigates

a large number of drugs and mitigations … at the clinic

—The Journal of the American Medical Association