Mitigate harms

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "Mitigate harms" is correct and usable in written English.
It is usually used in the sense of reducing or limiting damage. For example: "The government has implemented several policies to mitigate the harms of climate change."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

"Prior restraints are not meant to mitigate harms that have already occurred," the dissenting judges said.

The New York Times

In other words, reducing funding for prevention and resilience actions that can mitigate harms to people and property to better withstand the impact of hurricanes and coastal storms.

Huffington Post

The evidence base for interventions to mitigate harms and maximize benefit among those at risk from polypharmacy is limited.

Drugs and Aging

Efforts to improve awareness among the young of the ill effects of heavy drinking, and to mitigate harms associated with heavy drinking and intoxication also need to be continued.

BMC Public Health

The overarching concern of public health with populations and the total system of health necessitates a consideration of the political duties which conjoin communities, and an evaluation of how much power the State should wield in order to maximise health benefits and mitigate harms within populations (Coggon, 2012).

Critical Public Health

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

So one way to see the drive for austerity is as an application of a sort of reverse Hippocratic oath: "First, do nothing to mitigate harm".

The New York Times

Changes in precipitation regimes and extreme events can cause ecosystem transitions, increase transport of nutrients and pollutants to downstream ecosystems, and overwhelm the ability of natural systems to mitigate harm to people from these events.

The New York Times

But the judge noted that the Navy has developed procedures to mitigate harm to the whales, including requiring ships to slow down during calving season and, when practical, to travel near critical habitat only during daylight and when visibility is good.

The New York Times

Eating them would seem not only to mitigate harm, but to actively improve the "invaded" ecosystem.

Huffington Post

What are the existing processes to prevent and mitigate harm to civilians?

Huffington Post

One way to mitigate harm from climate change is climate adaptation, finding creative ways to work within this new climate.

Vice

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "mitigate harms", ensure that the context clearly identifies both the action taken to reduce harm and the specific harms being addressed. This adds clarity and impact to your writing.

Common error

Avoid using "mitigate harms" in overly abstract or vague situations where the harms are not clearly defined. Overusing it in such contexts can weaken the phrase's impact and make your writing less precise.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "Mitigate harms" functions as a verb phrase acting on a noun, indicating an action taken to reduce or lessen negative consequences. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's used to describe efforts aimed at minimizing damage.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

40%

Formal & Business

20%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "Mitigate harms" is a grammatically correct and usable phrase that signifies reducing or lessening the negative consequences of something. While its usage is relatively rare, as shown by Ludwig, it appears in contexts ranging from news and media to scientific and formal communications. To enhance clarity, ensure the harms and the mitigation actions are well-defined. Remember to avoid overuse in overly abstract contexts. The best alternatives include "reduce damage" or "lessen negative impacts", based on the nuance you aim to convey.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Reduce damage

Focuses on lessening the extent of the damage.

Lessen negative impacts

Emphasizes reducing the effects, specifically those that are negative.

Alleviate detriments

Uses more formal vocabulary to express lessening negative effects.

Ameliorate adverse effects

Implies improving a situation by reducing the severity of the negative effects.

Abate harmful effects

Implies reducing the intensity or degree of harmful effects.

Minimize repercussions

Focuses on reducing the consequences of an action or event.

Curb negative consequences

This implies restricting the extent of negative consequences.

Offset damages

Emphasizes counteracting the damages to neutralize their effect.

Soften the blow

This is an idiomatic way of saying to make a bad situation less severe.

Weaken negative forces

Suggests reducing the strength of something harmful.

FAQs

How can I use "Mitigate harms" in a sentence?

Use "mitigate harms" to describe actions taken to reduce or alleviate negative consequences. For instance, "The new regulations aim to "mitigate harms" to the environment".

What are some alternatives to "Mitigate harms"?

You can use alternatives like "reduce damage", "lessen negative impacts", or "alleviate detriments" depending on the context.

Is "Mitigate harms" the same as "prevent harms"?

"Mitigate harms" implies reducing the severity of existing or anticipated harms, whereas "prevent harms" means stopping them from occurring altogether. Prevention is proactive; mitigation is responsive.

Which is more appropriate: "Mitigate harms" or "Mitigate harm"?

"Mitigate harms" is generally used when referring to multiple types or instances of harm. "Mitigate harm" might be suitable when referring to a single, overarching negative effect. The plural form is more common.