alleviate
gb/əlˈiviˌeɪt/ us/əlˈiviˌeɪt/
B2
Inglés
~ 7200
Acepciones
0 acepciones
Verbo
formal
B2
action
1
reduce physical pain or discomfort
To make pain or body discomfort feel less strong, but not fully go away.
Patrón de uso:
to alleviate [pain/symptoms/discomfort]
Error frecuente:
Learners sometimes use *alleviate* with a person as the direct object, for example, '*The medicine alleviated me*'. It should be used with the pain or symptom: 'The medicine alleviated my pain' or 'The medicine alleviated the symptoms.' Another common mistake is using *alleviate* for positive things (e.g., '*alleviate happiness*'), but it is normally used only for negative feelings or conditions.
Sinónimos
relieve (Most general and common verb for making pain or discomfort less strong.)
|
ease (Slightly softer and more informal; often used for pain, tension, or worry.)
|
lessen (Neutral and fairly formal; emphasizes the reduction in amount or intensity.)
|
mitigate (More technical or legal; often used in professional or medical contexts.)
Antónimos
worsen (Means to make the pain or discomfort more severe instead of less.)
|
aggravate (Stresses that something causes the pain or symptoms to become more serious.)
|
intensify (Emphasizes an increase in strength or sharpness of pain.)
Colocaciones
alleviate pain
|alleviate symptoms
|alleviate discomfort
|alleviate suffering
|alleviate a headache
|alleviate anxiety
Temas
health
|daily life
|emotions
|body
|core_vocabulary
Ejemplos
- The doctor prescribed medication to alleviate her back pain.
- A warm bath may help alleviate muscle soreness after exercise.
- This cream is used to alleviate the itching caused by insect bites.
- Deep breathing exercises can alleviate chest tightness caused by anxiety.
- He took a short walk to alleviate the stiffness in his legs.
Ejemplos para estudiantes
- This medicine helps alleviate the pain in my knee.
- Drinking warm tea can alleviate a sore throat.
- She took a break to alleviate her eye strain.
- Ice can alleviate the swelling after you twist your ankle.
Verbo
formal
C1
action
2
reduce the severity of a problem
To make a bad situation or problem less serious or easier to live with.
Patrón de uso:
to alleviate [poverty/pressure/problem/burden]
Error frecuente:
Learners sometimes confuse *alleviate* with *eliminate*. *Alleviate* means to make a problem smaller or easier, not to remove it completely. Another mistake is using it in very casual speech where a simpler verb like *help* or *fix* would sound more natural. Also, some learners mix it up with *elevate* (which means 'to raise' or 'to lift up'); these two verbs have very different meanings.
Sinónimos
ease (Common in everyday speech; suggests making a situation less difficult or stressful.)
|
reduce (Very general; focuses on lowering the level or amount of a problem.)
|
lessen (Fairly formal; highlights the decrease in seriousness or impact.)
|
mitigate (More formal and technical; frequently used for risks, damage, or negative effects in professional contexts.)
|
relieve (Often used with pressure, stress, or burden; can sound slightly less formal than *alleviate*.)
Antónimos
exacerbate (Formal; stresses that an action makes a problem or situation clearly worse.)
|
worsen (Neutral; means to make the situation more serious or more difficult.)
|
compound (Formal; suggests adding new problems so that the situation becomes more difficult overall.)
Colocaciones
alleviate poverty
|alleviate traffic congestion
|alleviate pressure
|alleviate the problem
|alleviate concerns
|alleviate the burden
Temas
society
|business
|politics
|emotions
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Ejemplos
- The new policy is designed to alleviate traffic congestion in the city center.
- International aid can help alleviate poverty in rural areas.
- Flexible working hours may alleviate the pressure employees feel during busy periods.
- Better communication could alleviate many of the concerns raised by residents.
- The government introduced tax cuts to alleviate the financial burden on small businesses.
Ejemplos para estudiantes
- The extra money will alleviate some of their financial problems.
- Planting more trees can help alleviate air pollution.
- Sharing the work can alleviate the stress on one person.
- Good planning can alleviate many common travel problems.
Gramática
Forma de diccionario
alleviate
AFI
GB/əlˈiviˌeɪt/
US/əlˈiviˌeɪt/
Sílabas y acento
al - le - vi - ate (4 sílabas)
Stress on 2nd syllable (le)
Formas de la palabra
Verb
- Base: alleviate
- 3rd Person Singular: alleviates
- Present Participle: alleviating
- Past: alleviated
Familia de palabras
Forms
alleviates
verb
alleviating
verb
alleviated
verb
Core family
alleviation
noun
Negative and opposite forms
unalleviated
adjective
Advanced or less common
alleviative
adjective
Expresiones
alleviate pain
1/əlˈiviˌeɪt pˈeɪn/
fixed phrase
formal
make physical pain less strong
To make someone’s physical pain not as strong as before.
Ejemplos
- This drug is commonly used to alleviate pain after surgery.
- Simple stretching exercises can help alleviate pain in your lower back.
- Cold packs may alleviate pain and reduce swelling after a minor injury.
alleviate poverty
1/əlˈiviˌeɪt pˈɑvɚti/
fixed phrase
formal
reduce the severity of poverty
To make the problem of people being very poor smaller or less serious.
Ejemplos
- Education is seen as a key way to alleviate poverty in many countries.
- The program aims to alleviate poverty in inner-city neighborhoods.
- International organizations work together to alleviate poverty around the world.
alleviate the burden
1/əlˈiviˌeɪt ðə bˈɚdən/
fixed phrase
formal
make a burden less heavy
To make a hard responsibility or duty feel easier to carry or manage.
Ejemplos
- Additional staff were hired to alleviate the burden on existing employees.
- Financial support from his parents helped alleviate the burden of student debt.
- Automating routine tasks can alleviate the burden on the customer service team.