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Definition of Lessen
1. Verb. Decrease in size, extent, or range. "His voice fell to a whisper"
Specialized synonyms: Break, Shrink, Shrivel, Taper, Drop Off, Fly, Vanish, Vaporize, Break, Ease Off, Ease Up, Flag, Slacken Off, Weaken, Boil Down, Concentrate, Decoct, Reduce, Contract, Shrink, Shrink, Shrivel, Shrivel Up, Wither, Abate, Die Away, Let Up, Slack, Slack Off, Deflate, Dwindle, Dwindle Away, Dwindle Down, Remit, De-escalate, Depreciate, Devaluate, Devalue, Undervalue, Shorten, Thin Out, Decline, Go Down, Wane, Wane, Wane, Decelerate, Retard, Slow, Slow Down, Slow Up, Decrescendo
Generic synonyms: Change Magnitude
Derivative terms: Decrease, Decrease, Decrease, Decrease, Diminution, Fall
Antonyms: Increase
2. Verb. Make smaller. "He decreased his staff"
Generic synonyms: Alter, Change, Modify
Specialized synonyms: Suppress, Mitigate, Pare, Pare Down, Circumscribe, Confine, Limit, Boil Down, Concentrate, Reduce, Reduce, Shrink, Abbreviate, Abridge, Contract, Cut, Foreshorten, Reduce, Shorten, Abate, Slack, Slake, Lour, Lower, Turn Down, De-escalate, Step Down, Weaken, Minimise, Minimize, Bring Down, Cut, Cut Back, Cut Down, Reduce, Trim, Trim Back, Trim Down, Cut, Relax, Slack, Slack Up, Slacken, Belittle, Diminish
Derivative terms: Decrease
Antonyms: Increase
3. Verb. Wear off or die down. "The water lessens "; "The pain subsided"
Definition of Lessen
1. v. t. To make less; to reduce; to make smaller, or fewer; to diminish; to lower; to degrade; as, to lessen a kingdom, or a population; to lessen speed, rank, fortune.
2. v. i. To become less; to shrink; to contract; to decrease; to be diminished; as, the apparent magnitude of objects lessens as we recede from them; his care, or his wealth, lessened.
Definition of Lessen
1. Verb. (transitive) To make less; to diminish; to reduce. ¹
2. Verb. (intransitive) To become less. ¹
¹ Source: wiktionary.com
Definition of Lessen
1. to make or become less [v -ED, -ING, -S]
Lexicographical Neighbors of Lessen
Literary usage of Lessen
Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:
1. Encyclopaedia Britannica: A Standard Work of Reference in Art, Literature (1907)
"... commonly means the lessening of the royal power, and acts which lessen the
... need was rather to strengthen the royal power than to lessen it. ..."
2. The Confessions of Jean Jacques Rousseau by Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1901)
"... and quitted it before I was irrevocably lost. took in them, their company
became so troublesome that I was obliged to lessen the familiarity. ..."
3. United States Supreme Court Reports by Lawyers Co-operative Publishing Company, United States Supreme Court (1885)
"... member of the Company, he has such a right, but this docs not, necessarily,
increase with aa increase of stock, 22 WALL. or lessen with its diminution. ..."
4. South Eastern Reporter by West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals, West Publishing Company, South Carolina Supreme Court (1922)
"However, this rule (as to buying in the nearest available market; is based solely
upon the ground that the buyer must lessen the seller's loss as much as ..."
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