mitigate Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. verb lessen or to try to lessen the seriousness or extent of
    extenuate; palliate.
    • The circumstances extenuate the crime
  2. verb make less severe or harsh
    • mitigating circumstances

WordNet

Mit"i*gate transitive verb
Etymology
L. mitigatus, p.p. of mitigare to soften, mitigate; mitis mild, soft + the root of agere to do, drive.
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Mitigated ; present participle & verbal noun Mitigating
Definitions
  1. To make less severe, intense, harsh, rigorous, painful, etc.; to soften; to meliorate; to alleviate; to diminish; to lessen; as, to mitigate heat or cold; to mitigate grief.
  2. To make mild and accessible; to mollify; -- applied to persons. Obs.
    This opinion ... mitigated kings into companions. Burke.
    Syn. -- To alleviate; assuage; allay. See Alleviate.

Webster 1913