lessen the potential for

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "lessen the potential for" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing ways to reduce the likelihood or risk of a certain outcome or event occurring. Example: "Implementing safety measures can help lessen the potential for accidents in the workplace."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

11 human-written examples

This would lessen the potential for some backyard calamities.

Independent

Does anyone in his right mind expect that today's ruling will lessen the potential for terrorists to rearm with the intent of killing American soldiers?

The New York Times

He said that such limits also lessen the potential for family friction and foster greater responsibility and accountability in the young person.

The New York Times

Parkin, however, added that while synthetic surfaces have been proven to lessen the potential for fatal race-injuries, they don't eliminate the risk altogether – rather, the types of injuries seen on synthetic surfaces differ from those encountered on dirt.

The Guardian - Sport

The Russian authorities are keen to ensure greater access for domestic security services to online data, and lessen the potential for foreign states, especially the US, to have the same access.

The Guardian

Among those improvements are quicker response times to cardiac arrest, advances in performing CPR and, perhaps most important, the growing use of therapeutic hypothermia to reduce brain swelling and inflammation and lessen the potential for cognitive harm.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

49 human-written examples

The experience is simpler and potentially safer, as limiting the system to approved apps lessens the potential for malware on the system — always a big concern when purchasing a Windows device.

TechCrunch

Covering all such cracks lessens the potential for a problem but does not do away with it altogether, as new cracks occur all the time.

The New York Times

The brochure cites a study showing that animals that ingest "biosolid-treated soil and dust may have a decreased absorption of lead into the blood stream, thus lessening the potential for lead-induced nerve and brain damage".

The New York Times

A logical aim for initial siRNA translation is local therapies, as delivering siRNA directly to its site of action helps to ensure that a sufficient dose reaches the target tissue, lessens the potential for off-target side effects, and circumvents the substantial systemic delivery barriers.

Journal of Controlled Release

This significantly lessens the potential for the use of electric vehicles for freight transportation, which often requires long journeys.

Urban Rail Transit

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When aiming for clarity, consider specifying what actions or measures are being taken to "lessen the potential for" a particular outcome. This provides context and strengthens the statement.

Common error

While the phrase is generally acceptable, overuse in highly formal or scientific writing may make the writing sound less precise. In those cases, consider stronger verbs like "eliminate", "prevent", or "nullify" depending on the intended meaning.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "lessen the potential for" functions as a verb phrase used to indicate actions or measures that reduce the probability or possibility of a particular outcome or event. Ludwig confirms its correctness and usability.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

40%

Academia

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "lessen the potential for" is a grammatically correct and usable phrase, as confirmed by Ludwig, indicating an effort to reduce the likelihood of something occurring. It is most commonly found in news, scientific, and academic contexts. While acceptable, overuse in formal writing may benefit from stronger verbs like "eliminate" or "prevent". When using this phrase, it's helpful to specify the actions being taken to reduce the potential, adding clarity to the statement. Alternatives include "reduce the likelihood of", "minimize the risk of", and "mitigate the possibility of", each offering a slightly different nuance.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

reduce the likelihood of

Focuses on reducing the chance of something happening rather than the general potential.

minimize the risk of

Specifically targets the risk associated with a situation, aiming to decrease it.

decrease the probability of

Emphasizes a statistical reduction in the chances of an event.

mitigate the possibility of

Suggests actions taken to alleviate or reduce the severity of a potential outcome.

alleviate the prospect of

Focuses on relieving or easing the anticipation of a future event.

curtail the chances of

Indicates a restriction or limitation on the opportunities for something to occur.

diminish the likelihood of

Similar to reduce, but implies a gradual decrease in the probability.

weaken the possibility of

Highlights making the possibility less strong or impactful.

moderate the threat of

Implies controlling or keeping the threat at a manageable level.

temper the risk of

Suggests balancing or counteracting the risk to make it less severe.

FAQs

How can I use "lessen the potential for" in a sentence?

You can use "lessen the potential for" to describe actions taken to reduce the likelihood of a negative outcome. For example, "Implementing safety protocols can "reduce the likelihood of" accidents."

What are some alternatives to "lessen the potential for"?

Alternatives include "minimize the risk of", "reduce the chance of", or "mitigate the possibility of", depending on the specific context.

Is it more correct to say "lessen the potential of" or "lessen the potential for"?

"Lessen the potential for" is generally more appropriate when referring to reducing the possibility of something happening. "Lessen the potential of" might be used in different contexts, but is less common.

What's the difference between "lessen the potential for" and "eliminate the potential for"?

"Lessen the potential for" implies a reduction in the likelihood or severity of something, while "eliminate the potential for" suggests completely removing the possibility.