lessen

verb

ˈle-sᵊn How to pronounce lessen (audio)
Definition of lessennext
1
as in to reduce
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 to decrease
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 to degrade
to lower in character, dignity, or quality blatant hypocrisy that lessened him in the eyes of the voters

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb lessen differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of lessen are abate, decrease, diminish, dwindle, and reduce. While all these words mean "to grow or make less," lessen suggests a decline in amount rather than in number.

has been unable to lessen her debt

When can abate be used instead of lessen?

The meanings of abate and lessen largely overlap; however, abate implies a reducing of something excessive or oppressive in force or amount.

the storm abated

When is decrease a more appropriate choice than lessen?

The words decrease and lessen are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, decrease suggests a progressive decline in size, amount, numbers, or intensity.

slowly decreased the amount of pressure

In what contexts can diminish take the place of lessen?

Although the words diminish and lessen have much in common, diminish emphasizes a perceptible loss and implies its subtraction from a total.

his visual acuity has diminished

Where would dwindle be a reasonable alternative to lessen?

While the synonyms dwindle and lessen are close in meaning, dwindle implies progressive lessening and is applied to things growing visibly smaller.

their provisions dwindled slowly

When might reduce be a better fit than lessen?

The words reduce and lessen can be used in similar contexts, but reduce implies a bringing down or lowering.

you must reduce your caloric intake

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of lessen Parts of northern Arizona were without power Saturday as the utility serving the area initiated a safety shut-off in hopes of lessening the wildfire risk. — ABC News, 27 June 2026 To lessen your chances of contracting the parasite, avoid consuming food or water that may be contaminated with feces, the MCHD warns. — Angel Saunders, PEOPLE, 30 June 2026 Parts of northern Arizona were without power Saturday as the utility serving the area initiated a safety shutoff in hopes of lessening the wildfire risk. — Ty Oneil, Los Angeles Times, 28 June 2026 Late 19th and Early 20th Century Most Western states capitalized on the barriers imposed on divorce and lessened their residency requirements to shorten the length of time one had to reside in the state to be able to file for divorce. — Patricia Fersch, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for lessen
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lessen
  1. reduce
  2. decrease
  3. degrade
  4. diminish
  5. weaken
  6. subside
  7. deteriorate
  8. dilute
Verb
  • Derived from a Central African shrub, the drug's ability to reduce withdrawal symptoms and cravings were uncovered by accident, when Howard Lotsof, a 19-year old addicted to heroin, tried ibogaine out of curiosity in 1962.
    — Gavin Escott, USA Today, 6 July 2026
  • Displaying tactical discipline and superior talent, the English national team defeated Mexico 3-2 with a lineup reduced to 10 men on Sunday night.
    — Eduard Cauich, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026
Definition of reduce
Verb
  • Plus, new windows are more energy efficient than old ones, meaning a summer installation can decrease your energy bill now and when temperatures drop in the fall and winter.
    — Faith Wakefield, USA Today, 3 July 2026
  • Doubles players fear for their tennis future after being told by the ATP Tour that prize money and tournament sizes will decrease significantly starting in 2028.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 July 2026
Definition of decrease
Verb
  • When temperatures rise, heat can quietly degrade pantry staples, making refrigeration essential to preserve quality and flavor.
    — Anne Wolf, Martha Stewart, 1 July 2026
  • If leaders are not present and actively developing people, the system degrades—quietly at first, then all at once.
    — Brian Coyne, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026
Definition of degrade
Verb
  • Give ample space to large vehicles - Trucks or buses can create a water spray that diminishes visibility.
    — NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 6 July 2026
  • The union said that unresolved complaints made against Hawk and existing climate issues have significantly diminished confidence among many educators.
    — Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 6 July 2026
Definition of diminish
Verb
  • The flow of dark traffic is one of the factors that helped explain why oil markets had weakened significantly by early June, together with a surge in exports from the US and pullback in buying by China.
    — Weilun Soon, Fortune, 5 July 2026
  • But as several surveys have consistently indicated, optimism about our country's outlook has undeniably weakened.
    — Robert Hormats, Time, 4 July 2026
Definition of weaken
Verb
  • Best Linen Pants Deals When blazing-hot afternoons suddenly subside into breezy evenings, linen pants help keep you cool while offering the right amount of coverage.
    — Sophie Dodd, Travel + Leisure, 4 July 2026
  • Investors’ fears of Anthropic’s Mythos model, which was launched in April, upending all cybersecurity software businesses, have since subsided.
    — Kirk Ogunrinde, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
Definition of subside
Verb
  • They can also be used for de-aging characters, creating performances in different languages, or preserving the voice or likeness of an actor whose health is deteriorating, as was the case with CAA client Eric Dane.
    — Joy Press, Vanity Fair, 6 July 2026
  • Though concrete is a durable surface, concrete driveway repair is needed when the surface deteriorates and develops cracks over the years.
    — Caitlin Sole, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 July 2026
Definition of deteriorate
Verb
  • In other words, expanding loyalty beyond hotels does not have to dilute the hotel business.
    — Jeff Fromm, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
  • Han credits the international team with sharpening his instincts rather than diluting them.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 28 June 2026
Definition of dilute

Browse Nearby Words

lessees
lessen
lessened
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Lessen.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lessen. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on lessen

Nglish: Translation of lessen for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All