alleviate
uh-LEE-vee-ayt
Alleviate (verb) means to make pain, suffering, or a problem less severe. Example: “The medication helped alleviate her back pain.”
verb
1
To make pain, suffering, or a problem less severe.
"The medication helped alleviate her back pain."
"New housing schemes are meant to alleviate the shortage of affordable homes."
How to use alleviate
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo ease something bad — pain, pressure, a shortage — without necessarily curing it completely.
Common mistake
Alleviate reduces a problem; it does not mean to solve it completely — a headache pill alleviates pain, it doesn't cure the underlying cause.
Common pairings
alleviate pain
alleviate poverty
alleviate pressure
alleviate symptoms
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like alleviate.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Word forms
- Third person singular
- alleviates
- Past tense
- alleviated
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The medication helped _____ her back pain.
Etymology
From Late Latin alleviare, "to lighten," built from levis, meaning "light" (as in not heavy) — the same root that gives us "levity" and "elevate."
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for alleviate
See all rhymes for alleviate →Frequently asked questions
What does “alleviate” mean?
The word “alleviate” means to make pain, suffering, or a problem less severe. In plain terms, to ease something bad — pain, pressure, a shortage — without necessarily curing it completely.
How do you pronounce “alleviate”?
“Alleviate” is pronounced uh-LEE-vee-ayt (/əˈli.vi.eɪt/ in IPA).
How do you use “alleviate” in a sentence?
Here is “alleviate” used in a sentence: “The medication helped alleviate her back pain.”
What part of speech is “alleviate”?
“Alleviate” is a verb.
Where does the word “alleviate” come from?
The word “alleviate” comes from Late Latin. From Late Latin alleviare, "to lighten," built from levis, meaning "light" (as in not heavy) — the same root that gives us "levity" and "elevate.".
Is “alleviate” a common word?
“Alleviate” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the C1 level.
Featured in
Vocabulary lists that include alleviate:
