1
as in decreasing
to make smaller in amount, volume, or extent
we lessened our efforts as it became clear they weren't having an effect
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in diminishing
to grow less in scope or intensity especially gradually
the pain should begin to lessen within minutes of taking the medication
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in weakening
to lower in character, dignity, or quality
blatant hypocrisy that lessened him in the eyes of the voters
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in reducing
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Dissimilar Words
2
as in depreciation
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of lessening
Barbara Kates-Garnick, The Conversation, 26 Aug. 2025
The good news is that GPT-5 will presumably be somewhat less than gushingly friendly, though the lessening might be variable and of a mixed result.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2025
Nelson Espinal, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Oct. 2025
Therefore, lessening the impact of food production on the planet while also making enough to feed the global population will take planning and a coordinated effort among nations, Hicks said.
—Sandee Lamotte, CNN Money, 2 Oct. 2025
Decentralization can reduce the risk of government mismanagement or overreach, lessening the likelihood of currency debasement and/or runaway inflation.
—Alex Pron, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
Imagine wanting to see a play—ostensibly, in part, for the liveness of a play—but mistrusting your judgment enough to read a review first, thereby lessening your opportunity for surprise.
—Lauren Rothery, Harpers Magazine, 19 Sep. 2025
The Patriots must be willing to make adjustments after Sunday’s 20-13 loss to the Raiders, and one of those might be lessening Drake Maye’s workload.
—Doug Kyed, Boston Herald, 8 Sep. 2025
Survey response rates for the BLS have been down since the pandemic, lessening the quality of Labor Department surveys, and while economists have complained about that trend, none have seriously questioned the agency’s methodologies or its execution of them.
—Tobias Burns, The Hill, 4 Sep. 2025
Like President Reagan, those pushing for democracy promotion equated political freedom with strengthening free markets and thereby lessening the attraction abroad to movements—including but not limited to communism—that aimed to redistribute resources to reduce economic inequality.
—Time, 3 Sep. 2025
Because McCarthy’s contract will increase in the next couple of seasons, lessening the amount the front office can spend elsewhere.
—Alec Lewis, New York Times, 27 Aug. 2025
Verb
While appearing radical at the time, the revamping of scientific boards to include more industry representatives, the undoing of power plant rules and the lessening of enforcement hobbled but did not completely undo the agency.
—Barbara Kates-Garnick, The Conversation, 26 Aug. 2025
The good news is that GPT-5 will presumably be somewhat less than gushingly friendly, though the lessening might be variable and of a mixed result.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2025
Noun
Looking to not be burdened with the massive contract, the Bucks instead decided to cut Lillard and spread out his money over five seasons, lessening the financial impact of the deal.
—Nelson Espinal, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Oct. 2025
Therefore, lessening the impact of food production on the planet while also making enough to feed the global population will take planning and a coordinated effort among nations, Hicks said.
—Sandee Lamotte, CNN Money, 2 Oct. 2025
Decentralization can reduce the risk of government mismanagement or overreach, lessening the likelihood of currency debasement and/or runaway inflation.
—Alex Pron, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
Imagine wanting to see a play—ostensibly, in part, for the liveness of a play—but mistrusting your judgment enough to read a review first, thereby lessening your opportunity for surprise.
—Lauren Rothery, Harpers Magazine, 19 Sep. 2025
The Patriots must be willing to make adjustments after Sunday’s 20-13 loss to the Raiders, and one of those might be lessening Drake Maye’s workload.
—Doug Kyed, Boston Herald, 8 Sep. 2025
Survey response rates for the BLS have been down since the pandemic, lessening the quality of Labor Department surveys, and while economists have complained about that trend, none have seriously questioned the agency’s methodologies or its execution of them.
—Tobias Burns, The Hill, 4 Sep. 2025
Like President Reagan, those pushing for democracy promotion equated political freedom with strengthening free markets and thereby lessening the attraction abroad to movements—including but not limited to communism—that aimed to redistribute resources to reduce economic inequality.
—Time, 3 Sep. 2025
Because McCarthy’s contract will increase in the next couple of seasons, lessening the amount the front office can spend elsewhere.
—Alec Lewis, New York Times, 27 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lessening
Verb
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Actions the report calls for include rapidly reducing planet-heating pollution and scaling up carbon removal from the atmosphere.—
Laura Paddison,
CNN Money,
13 Oct. 2025
-
See video … LISTEN Tune in to the FOX NEWS RUNDOWN PODCAST to learn how the White House plans to strengthen control over critical minerals while reducing dependence on China.—
,
FOXNews.com,
13 Oct. 2025
Verb
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John McAdorey / Shutterstock file Flights at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport faced delays of around 30 minutes late Tuesday afternoon, but the delay times were decreasing, the FAA said.—
Matt Lavietes,
NBC news,
8 Oct. 2025
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It can be tuned to match your weight and riding style simply by increasing or decreasing the air pressure.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
7 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Previously the billionaire banker has warned the American economy is weakening, saying in September following a measly jobs report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics that whether that weakness spills into economic contraction remains to be seen.—
Eleanor Pringle,
Fortune,
8 Oct. 2025
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The tariffs inadvertently advantage Asia and other offshore producers by weakening textile and apparel supply chains in the Western Hemisphere.—
Kimberly Glas,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Organizations with a poor data foundation see diminishing returns from technology investments, while those with superior data infrastructure experience accelerating returns.—
Tammy Hawes,
Forbes.com,
18 Sep. 2025
-
According to a recent Bank of America Institute survey, lower-income families have experienced diminishing growth in after-tax earnings, with August marking the slowest rate since 2016.—
Dave Smith,
Fortune,
18 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Taken together, that’s a 5- to 10-point swing in costs that has brought the respectable 10 percent or 12 percent EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) margin down into the doldrums of the midsingle digits.—
Evan Clark,
Footwear News,
10 Oct. 2025
-
The government has had to deploy millions of dollars and reintroduce some exchange controls to fend off further depreciation on the peso in the past week.—
Nicolle Yapur,
Fortune,
2 Oct. 2025
Verb
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From the Luddites smashing looms in 19th-century England to autoworkers walking out over the introduction of robots to the factory floor in the 1980s, resistance has flared before either being crushed or subsiding, giving way to the new economies and social orders the technologies ushered in.—
Hugh Cameron,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Sep. 2025
-
During the recent measles outbreak centered in Texas, the Pandemic Center’s data contradicted Kennedy’s assertions that the crisis was subsiding, Jennifer Nuzzo, the director of the Pandemic Center, told me.—
Yasmin Tayag,
The Atlantic,
17 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Carbon capture challenges Hiegel explained that carbon capture remains hindered by high energy demands, poor flexibility with industrial loads, costly infrastructure requirements, and health and safety risks from degrading chemicals, all of which slow its adaptability.—
Georgina Jedikovska,
Interesting Engineering,
29 Sep. 2025
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Over time, these substances may infiltrate groundwater, creating serious long-term health concerns, degrading habitats, and endangering communities that rely on those resources.—
Michaela Rychetska,
JSTOR Daily,
18 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
In a stand mixer, thoroughly cream together the shortening, margarine, 3 cups of the sugar, and the eggs.—
Kate Bradshaw,
Mercury News,
13 Oct. 2025
-
Processing extras’ job bookings has helped give Everyset a window in to where work is now, as Hollywood grapples with major studios cutting the number of annual big theatrical bets and shortening TV episode orders from the Peak TV days of just a few years ago.—
Erik Hayden,
HollywoodReporter,
8 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Lessening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lessening. Accessed 15 Oct. 2025.
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