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GRE vocabulary

alleviate

verbHigh-frequency wordMore A words

to make suffering or a problem less severe

Word origin: From Latin alleviare, to lighten (ad- to plus levis light).

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In a sentence

Alleviate in a sentence

Here are example sentences showing alleviate in a sentence.

The new medication helped alleviate her chronic pain.

The grant was intended to alleviate overcrowding in the city's overburdened shelters.

Synonyms
easerelievemitigate
Antonyms
aggravateworsenintensify

Quick GRE check

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Verbal · Sentence Equivalence

The professor's lectures were notoriously blank; students often left more puzzled than when they had arrived, unable to follow his tangled chains of reasoning.

Select the two answers that give the sentence the same meaning. 0 of 2 selected.

Usage & nuance

Using “alleviate” well

Alleviate means to lessen the severity of suffering or a problem without necessarily removing it. It reduces intensity rather than eliminating the cause entirely.

Keep going

More GRE words starting with A

abase

to lower in rank, dignity, or self-respect

abash

to make someone feel embarrassed or ashamed

abate

to lessen in intensity or amount

abdicate

to formally give up power or responsibility

aberrant

departing from what is normal or expected

aberration

a departure from what is normal, usual, or expected

abeyance

a state of temporary suspension or inactivity

abhor

to regard with strong disgust or hatred

Common questions

Questions about “alleviate”

Alleviate (verb) means to make suffering or a problem less severe
Here is alleviate used in an example sentence: "The new medication helped alleviate her chronic pain." Another example: "The grant was intended to alleviate overcrowding in the city's overburdened shelters."
Common synonyms for alleviate include ease, relieve, mitigate.
Antonyms of alleviate include aggravate, worsen, intensify.
Alleviate pairs with ease, relieve, and mitigate in GRE Verbal. Its antonyms aggravate, worsen, and intensify signal the opposite movement, a common reversal in contrast sentences.
Yes. Alleviate is a high-frequency GRE word, so it is worth prioritising as you build your vocabulary.

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