help to lessen

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "help to lessen" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing ways to reduce or mitigate something, such as a problem or negative impact. Example: "The new policy is designed to help to lessen the environmental impact of our operations."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

48 human-written examples

Some past studies have hinted that exercising while cutting calories might help to lessen this muscle loss.

The New York Times - Health

Nevertheless, if the government can promote economic development in the east and north, this may help to lessen resentment in the wider Tamil community in the long term.

The Economist

"Electronic recordings may help to lessen concerns about false confessions and provide an objective and reliable record of what occurred during an interview," Mr. Kelly said.

The New York Times

If the government can successfully promote economic development in the east and north, it may help to lessen resentment in the wider Tamil community (although not among the Tigers).

The Economist

"A clearly written clause in the Code of Practice could help to lessen some of this anxiety, and demonstrate to students who have been affected that support is available to them".

Independent

A memorandum has been prepared for the committee by the B.B.C. on the features of design and installa tion of radio sets which, when attended to, help to lessen, sometimes very appreciably, this trouble.

Nature

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

12 human-written examples

It was biodegradable, which helped to lessen its impact on wildlife.

Independent

As the current flows around the Canary Islands, it helps to lessen the heating effect of the Sahara to the east.

Encyclopedia Britannica

All this helped to lessen the chance for misunderstandings among departments in Washington and between the United States and foreign governments.

The New Yorker

There is a galvanising role for the new mayor in helping to lessen London's "social deficit".

The Guardian

The industry's mergers and failures have also helped to lessen competition in some markets, some analysts have said.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "help to lessen", ensure the sentence clearly indicates what is being reduced or mitigated. For example, "Exercise can help to lessen anxiety."

Common error

Avoid using "help to lessen" with verbs that already imply reduction. For example, instead of saying "This will help to lessen reduce costs", simply say "This will help reduce costs."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "help to lessen" primarily functions as a purpose connector, indicating the intention or effect of an action to reduce or mitigate something. This is supported by Ludwig examples where the phrase links actions to their intended outcome of reducing a negative impact.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

32%

Science

29%

Wiki

24%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Encyclopedias

3%

Reference

3%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "help to lessen" is a grammatically correct and very common way to express the reduction or mitigation of something. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, it functions as a purpose connector and is suitable for various contexts, including news, science, and general writing. While versatile, it's important to ensure clear context and avoid redundancy with verbs already implying reduction. For alternative expressions, consider phrases like "aid in reducing" or "assist in diminishing". Keep in mind the subtle differences in meaning between the main phrase and its alternatives.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

aid in reducing

Replaces "help" with "aid" and restructures the phrase, maintaining the core meaning.

assist in diminishing

Substitutes "help" with "assist" and "lessen" with "diminish", providing a more formal tone.

contribute to decreasing

Emphasizes the contributory aspect of reducing something.

play a role in minimizing

Highlights the action as part of a larger process of reduction.

serve to alleviate

Offers a more formal and sophisticated way of expressing the reduction of something negative.

be instrumental in mitigating

Indicates a crucial role in reducing the severity of something.

facilitate the reduction of

Focuses on making the process of reducing something easier.

promote the decline of

Suggests encouraging a decrease in something.

support the easing of

Implies providing assistance to make something less severe or intense.

work to curtail

Emphasizes the effort involved in limiting or reducing something.

FAQs

How can I use "help to lessen" in a sentence?

Use "help to lessen" to describe actions or measures that reduce a negative impact or problem. For example: "The new policy will "help to lessen" the environmental impact."

What are some alternatives to "help to lessen"?

You can use alternatives like "aid in reducing", "assist in diminishing", or "contribute to decreasing" depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "helps to lessen" instead of "help to lessen"?

Yes, "helps to lessen" is correct when the subject is singular or third-person singular (he, she, it). "Help to lessen" is used with plural subjects (we, they, you, I).

What's the difference between "help to lessen" and "help to alleviate"?

"Help to lessen" generally means to reduce something, while "help to alleviate" implies providing relief from something burdensome or painful. The choice depends on whether you are reducing something in quantity or providing relief.