alleviate

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "alleviate" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when referring to the act of making something less severe or more bearable, often in the context of pain, suffering, or problems. Example: "The new policy aims to alleviate the financial burden on low-income families."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

As Leah Oatway, senior communications officer at Action Against Hunger, says: "We need the media, in its fourth estate role, to share messages on important issues or crises that are under-reported and require international support, to encourage world leaders to make positive commitments to alleviate poverty, and to hold them accountable for those commitments".

The Guardian

For instance, the budgetary savings could be used to reduce other distorting taxes or to alleviate poverty in a more targeted and efficient way".

The Guardian

To try to alleviate widespread poverty from five years of savage austerity, Varoufakis said the government wanted to introduce a smart card scheme which bearers would use for health insurance but which would also include food stamps worth €100 a month for up to 300,000 families.

The Guardian

Turning its second club competition back into a straight knockout would probably help alleviate the boredom and ennui.

The Guardian - Sport

"It was nice to alleviate their fears and say that it looked like it was the end of the affair," he said.

The Guardian

The Treasury said this would identify what needed to be done to alleviate long-running weaknesses in areas such as transport, broadband, planning, skills, ownership, childcare, red-tape, science and innovation.

The Guardian - Business

"Thank you for having opened your borders and let's see what we can do about the whole situation to try to alleviate it and facilitate it," he said.

The Guardian

This is a common debating point from fossil fuel advocates – that poverty stricken countries need coal, oil and gas to become wealthy (as if coal, oil and gas have only just become available to alleviate the developing world's ills).

The Guardian

In his appearance at hospital, Fahmy said Greste and Mohamed were in good spirits and were now allowed to read newspapers, which helped to alleviate the boredom of prison.

The Guardian

Both your editorial (6 November) and Simon Jenkins (Opinion, 7 November) assert that any compensation received would alleviate the burden on the council and be to their benefit.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

However he would like to see charities get smarter about how they use their reserves and explore collaborative models of delivery – such as consortia or working as part of a supply chain – to alleviate some of the concerns around such contracts.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Pair "alleviate" with a tangible subject. Use it to describe actions that directly reduce a negative impact, like "alleviate poverty" or "alleviate symptoms", to show clear and effective results.

Common error

Avoid using "alleviate" for minor inconveniences. The word suggests a significant burden being lifted, so using it for trivial matters diminishes its impact and can sound exaggerated. Use it when the context truly involves substantial relief.

Linguistic Context

The word "alleviate" functions primarily as a transitive verb. It requires a direct object, indicating what is being lessened or relieved. Ludwig AI confirms its use in expressing the reduction of negative states.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

61%

Formal & Business

20%

Science

19%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "alleviate" is a grammatically sound and frequently used verb that signifies the reduction of something negative, such as pain, suffering, or difficulty. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage in various contexts. It's most commonly found in news and media, formal business settings, and scientific writing, suggesting a neutral to formal register. When using "alleviate", ensure it aligns with situations involving a significant reduction of a burden and consider synonyms like "ease" or "mitigate" for variety and precision. While "alleviate" is applicable in numerous scenarios, it's essential to avoid overusing it in trivial contexts, maintaining its intended impact.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

ease

Implies making something less burdensome or difficult.

relieve

Suggests removing or lessening pain, anxiety, or stress.

assuage

Focuses on easing emotional distress or pain.

mitigate

Highlights lessening the severity of something negative.

reduce

Focuses on lessening the amount or degree of something.

lessen

Emphasizes making something smaller or less in intensity.

soothe

Suggests gently calming or relieving discomfort.

palliate

Highlights easing symptoms without curing the underlying cause.

appease

Implies pacifying or calming something agitated.

temper

Indicates moderating or softening the impact of something.

FAQs

How can I use "alleviate" in a sentence?

You can use "alleviate" to describe the act of making suffering, deficiency, or a problem less severe. For example, "The new policy aims to "alleviate the financial burden" on low-income families."

What are some synonyms for "alleviate"?

Several words share a similar meaning with "alleviate". Depending on the context, you could use synonyms like "ease", "relieve", "mitigate", or "reduce".

Which is the correct term, "alleviate" or "exacerbate"?

"Alleviate" and "exacerbate" are antonyms. "Alleviate" means to lessen or relieve, while "exacerbate" means to make something worse. For example, medicine is intended to "alleviate symptoms", not exacerbate them.

What's the difference between "alleviate" and "ameliorate"?

Both "alleviate" and "ameliorate" mean to make something better, but "alleviate" often refers to reducing pain or suffering, while "ameliorate" generally means to improve a situation or condition. You might "alleviate poverty" with policies that ameliorate economic conditions.