lessen

/ˈlɛsn/

/ˈlɛsɪn/

Other forms: lessened; lessening; lessens

To lessen is to make smaller, to reduce, or to weaken. A high school football coach might try to lessen head injuries by improving the quality of the team's helmets.

If your cold symptoms lessen, it means you're sneezing and coughing much less and can probably go to school. If the value of your Pez collection lessens, it means those plastic candy dispensers can't be sold for quite as much money on eBay. And your friend might recommend that you take a yoga class or learn to meditate, especially if she thinks you should lessen your stress and anxiety.

Definitions of lessen

1. verb

   decrease in size, extent, or range
   synonyms: decrease, diminish, fall

   types:

   break

   diminish or discontinue abruptly

   shrink, shrivel

   decrease in size, range, or extent

   taper

   diminish gradually

   drop off

   fall or diminish

   fly, vanish, vaporize

   decrease rapidly and disappear

   break

   fall sharply

   ease off, ease up, flag, slacken off

   become less intense

   weaken

   become weaker

   boil down, concentrate, decoct, reduce

   be cooked until very little liquid is left

   contract, shrink

   become smaller or draw together

   shrink, shrivel, shrivel up, wither

   wither, as with a loss of moisture

   abate, die away, let up, slack, slack off

   become less in amount or intensity

   deflate

   become deflated or flaccid, as by losing air

   dwindle, dwindle away, dwindle down

   become smaller or lose substance

   remit

   diminish or abate

   de-escalate

   diminish in size, scope, or intensity

   depreciate, devaluate, devalue, undervalue

   lose in value

   shorten

   become short or shorter

   thin out

   become sparser

   decline, go down, wane

   grow smaller

   wane

   decrease in phase

   wane

   become smaller

   decelerate, retard, slow, slow down, slow up

   lose velocity; move more slowly

   decrescendo

   grow quieter

   atrophy

   undergo weakening or degeneration as through lack of use

   attenuate

   become weaker, in strength, value, or magnitude

   disappear, evaporate, melt

   become less intense and fade away gradually

   die down

   become progressively weaker

   collapse

   lose significance, effectiveness, or value

   fade, melt

   become less clearly visible or distinguishable; disappear gradually or seemingly

   subside

   wear off or die down

   blast

   shrivel or wither or mature imperfectly

   die back, die down

   suffer from a disease that kills shoots

   dry up, mummify

   dry up and shrivel due to complete loss of moisture

   blur, dim, slur

   become vague or indistinct

   languish, pine away, waste

   lose vigor, health, or flesh, as through grief

   dull

   make less lively or vigorous

   pall

   lose strength or effectiveness; become or appear boring, insipid, or tiresome (to)

   loose, loosen, relax

   become loose or looser or less tight

   slacken

   become looser or slack

   dip

   go down momentarily

   wear on

   pass slowly (of time)

   drop

   go down in value

   slack, slacken, slow, slow down, slow up

   become slow or slower

   slow, slow down, slow up

   cause to proceed more slowly

   delay, detain, hold up

   cause to be slowed down or delayed

   wilt

   lose strength

   flex

   contract

   type of:

   change magnitude

   change in size or magnitude
2. verb

   make smaller
   synonyms: decrease, minify

   types:

   suppress

   reduce the incidence or severity of or stop

   mitigate

   make less severe or harsh

   pare, pare down

   decrease gradually or bit by bit

   circumscribe, confine, limit

   restrict or confine

   boil down, concentrate, reduce

   cook until very little liquid is left

   reduce, shrink

   reduce in size; reduce physically

   abbreviate, abridge, contract, cut, foreshorten, reduce, shorten

   reduce in scope while retaining essential elements

   abate, slack, slake

   make less active or intense

   lour, lower, turn down

   make lower or quieter

   de-escalate, step down, weaken

   reduce the level or intensity or size or scope of

   minimise, minimize

   make small or insignificant

   bring down, cut, cut back, cut down, reduce, trim, trim back, trim down

   cut down on; make a reduction in

   cut

   have a reducing effect

   relax, slack, slack up, slacken

   make less active or fast

   belittle, diminish

   lessen the authority, dignity, or reputation of

   lighten, relieve

   alleviate or remove (pressure or stress) or make less oppressive

   bowdlerise, bowdlerize, castrate, expurgate, shorten

   edit by omitting or modifying parts considered indelicate

   hold down

   restrain

   keep down, number

   place a limit on the number of

   cap

   restrict the number or amount of

   curb, curtail, cut back, restrict

   place restrictions on

   reduce, scale down

   make smaller

   reef

   reduce (a sail) by taking in a reef

   miniaturise, miniaturize

   design or construct on a smaller scale

   concentrate, condense, digest

   make more concise

   shorten

   make shorter than originally intended; reduce or retrench in length or duration

   hedge

   minimize loss or risk

   spill

   reduce the pressure of wind on (a sail)

   quench

   reduce the degree of (luminescence or phosphorescence) in (excited molecules or a material) by adding a suitable substance

   retrench

   make a reduction, as in one's workforce

   slash

   cut drastically

   thin out

   make sparse

   thin

   make thin or thinner

   depopulate, desolate

   reduce in population

   detract, take away

   take away a part from; diminish

   deflate

   reduce or cut back the amount or availability of, creating a decline in value or prices

   inflate

   increase the amount or availability of, creating a rise in value

   downsize

   reduce in size or number

   downsize

   make in a smaller size

   subduct, subtract

   take off or away

   delimit, delimitate, demarcate

   set, mark, or draw the boundaries of something

   content

   satisfy in a limited way

   contract

   make smaller

   ration

   restrict the consumption of a relatively scarce commodity, as during war

   knock off, shave

   cut the price of

   type of:

   alter, change, modify

   cause to change; make different; cause a transformation
3. verb

   wear off or die down
   synonyms: subside

   type of:

   weaken

   become weaker