alleviation

/əˌliviˈeɪʃən/

Other forms: alleviations

Alleviation is relief from something that's disagreeable. Even though you love cats, you need a break from them sometimes if you ever hope for any alleviation of your allergy symptoms!

This noun is used to describe the act of lessening discomfort, easing pain, or relieving anything that's unpleasant. The purpose of some medication is alleviation of pain, and the goal of certain government programs is alleviation of hunger and poverty. Alleviation is from the Medieval Latin alleviare, which means "to lift up or raise," but was figuratively used to mean "to lighten a burden."

Definitions of alleviation

1. noun

   the act of reducing something unpleasant (as pain or annoyance)
   synonyms: easement, easing, relief

   types:

   spasmolysis

   the relaxation or relief of muscle spasms

   detente

   the easing of tensions or strained relations (especially between nations)

   palliation

   easing the severity of a pain or a disease without removing the cause

   liberalisation, liberalization, relaxation

   the act of making less strict

   decompressing, decompression

   relieving pressure (especially bringing a compressed person gradually back to atmospheric pressure)

   type of:

   decrease, diminution, reduction, step-down

   the act of decreasing or reducing something
2. noun

   the feeling that comes when something burdensome is removed or reduced
   synonyms: assuagement, relief

   type of:

   comfort

   a feeling of freedom from worry or disappointment