List of 426 Sets of Synonyms - How they Differ - Total of 2307 Words - 320

SYNONYMS: relieve, allay, alleviate, assuage, lighten, mitigate.
All of these verbs mean to make something less severe or more bearable.

To relieve is to ease and make more endurable something causing discomfort or distress: The counselor relieved her fears.
Allay suggests relief at least for the time being from what is burdensome or painful: We wanted to allay their fury.
Alleviate connotes temporary lessening of distress without removal of its cause: I wanted to alleviate her pain.
To assuage is to soothe or make milder: How shall I assuage her fears and misgivings.
Lighten in this comparison signifies to make less heavy or oppressive: Congress endeavored to lighten the taxpayers' burden.
Mitigate connotes moderating the severity, force, or intensity of something that causes suffering: I prayed to the Lord to mitigate a calamity.