1
as in reduces
to make smaller in amount, volume, or extent
we lessened our efforts as it became clear they weren't having an effect
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in decreases
to grow less in scope or intensity especially gradually
the pain should begin to lessen within minutes of taking the medication
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in degrades
to lower in character, dignity, or quality
blatant hypocrisy that lessened him in the eyes of the voters
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of lessens
Specifically, retinol smooths fine lines, lessens wrinkle depth, and whittles the appearance of large pores.
—
Sophie Wirt, InStyle, 29 May 2026
That his general manager, Dana Brown, is working in the final year of his contract lessens the already slim likelihood of Houston dealing Alvarez.
—Chandler Rome, New York Times, 28 May 2026
The cold front begins to move east Tuesday as the storm risk lessens, but 57 million people will remain under a slight risk for severe storms capable of hail, wind and tornadoes from southwest Texas to northern New England.
—Kathryn Prociv, NBC news, 18 May 2026
Selecting one-off items for exterior spaces without thinking about existing furnishings or accessories lessens the effect of that new piece.
—Michelle Mastro, The Spruce, 17 May 2026
This problem lessens as more roots grow and the leaves thicken up a little more.
—Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 May 2026
Enlisting kids in home tasks helps teach them valuable life skills and also lessens the load on parents.
—Metro Creative Services, Boston Herald, 13 Apr. 2026
Syndicating the bridge commitments to a larger group of banks lessens the exposure of the deal’s three primary lenders Citibank, Bank of America and Apollo.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 9 Apr. 2026
When hands move or are engaged, the tremor often lessens.
—Adam Cohen, Oklahoman, 24 Mar. 2026
Sophie Wirt, InStyle, 29 May 2026
That his general manager, Dana Brown, is working in the final year of his contract lessens the already slim likelihood of Houston dealing Alvarez.
—Chandler Rome, New York Times, 28 May 2026
The cold front begins to move east Tuesday as the storm risk lessens, but 57 million people will remain under a slight risk for severe storms capable of hail, wind and tornadoes from southwest Texas to northern New England.
—Kathryn Prociv, NBC news, 18 May 2026
Selecting one-off items for exterior spaces without thinking about existing furnishings or accessories lessens the effect of that new piece.
—Michelle Mastro, The Spruce, 17 May 2026
This problem lessens as more roots grow and the leaves thicken up a little more.
—Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 May 2026
Enlisting kids in home tasks helps teach them valuable life skills and also lessens the load on parents.
—Metro Creative Services, Boston Herald, 13 Apr. 2026
Syndicating the bridge commitments to a larger group of banks lessens the exposure of the deal’s three primary lenders Citibank, Bank of America and Apollo.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 9 Apr. 2026
When hands move or are engaged, the tremor often lessens.
—Adam Cohen, Oklahoman, 24 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lessens
Verb
-
Though more popular for your skin, when applied to your scalp and strands, the ingredient sloughs off buildup, soothes irritation, reduces dandruff, and controls oil production.—
Tamim Alnuweiri,
InStyle,
29 May 2026
-
It was also found that the battery uses a tabless, a double-aluminum current collector design that reduces resistance and ensures a uniform temperature distribution—and also mirrors the current design of Tesla batteries.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
28 May 2026
Verb
-
The vaginal pH of female olive baboons decreases, threatening sperm, after a female has mated with a genetically similar male.—
Wyatt Williams,
Harpers Magazine,
26 May 2026
-
The right paddle decreases regen but increases torque delivery.—
Jonathan M. Gitlin,
ArsTechnica,
26 May 2026
Verb
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Unlike conventional electronics that rely on plastics and heavy metals, the MEG degrades safely after use.—
Aman Tripathi,
Interesting Engineering,
24 May 2026
-
It gets tested every year because the device degrades and conditions change.—
Barbara Wittmann,
Forbes.com,
22 May 2026
Verb
-
Give ample space to large vehicles - Trucks or buses can create a water spray that diminishes visibility.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
29 May 2026
-
Give ample space to large vehicles - Trucks or buses can create a water spray that diminishes visibility.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
28 May 2026
Verb
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Organizations often assume that leaders working across contexts bring less focus and that divided attention weakens effectiveness.—
Henrik Totterman,
Forbes.com,
24 May 2026
-
Gravity weakens with the square of the distance between the two, so a star that was on the far side of the Milky Way from the edge-on collision point would feel a much less powerful gravitational attraction than a star on the near side would.—
Phil Plait,
Scientific American,
22 May 2026
Verb
-
Then the climax subsides for a lovely coda of strings, accompanied by a denouement in which the now casually clad, contemporary-looking singer smashes up her play set in the apartment where she’s presumably been brooding over all this stuff.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
22 May 2026
-
In fact, transparency mode eventually turns itself off until the wind subsides.—
Mark Knapp,
PC Magazine,
8 May 2026
Verb
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That is why a hedge here makes sense while markets sit near highs, VIX remains compressed near the high teens, and investors are still leaning heavily into a handful of leadership names as the macro backdrop deteriorates.—
Tony Zhang,
CNBC,
13 May 2026
-
Hospitals use the same billing codes for the ER visit, whether a patient’s condition deteriorates or not.—
Andrew Jones,
Miami Herald,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
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In his first encyclical, Pope Leo XIV put forth a defense of human dignity in the era of AI, delivering a far-ranging treatise on the morality of technology that included a dramatic plea for guardrails to ensure that artificial intelligence eases — rather than exacerbates — inequality and poverty.—
Anthony Faiola,
Washington Post,
25 May 2026
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Rain eases but more on the way Saturday night into Sunday morning brought a round of heavier rain across parts of the state.—
Rachael Jay,
CBS News,
24 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Lessens.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lessens. Accessed 30 May. 2026.
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