LESSENED Synonyms: 248 Similar and Opposite Words

lessened 1 of 2

adjective

as in diminished

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lessened

2 of 2

verb

past tense of lessen

as in reduced

to make smaller in amount, volume, or extent we lessened our efforts as it became clear they weren't having an effect

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in decreased

to grow less in scope or intensity especially gradually the pain should begin to lessen within minutes of taking the medication

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in weakened

to lower in character, dignity, or quality blatant hypocrisy that lessened him in the eyes of the voters

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of lessened

Adjective

Kuminga then saw a combination of injuries and uneven performances lead to lessened playing time before eventually falling out of the rotation altogether. — Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 23 Jan. 2026 Mitigators work in the other direction, articulating a spectrum of factors that might support lessened punishment, such as the defendant having no prior criminal record, or acting under significant duress. — Literary Hub, 20 Jan. 2026 After taking a lessened role in 2025, Texas Tech cornerback Maurion Horn will enter the transfer portal with one year of eligibility remaining, per multiple reports. — Ty Kaplan, Dallas Morning News, 2 Jan. 2026 An overloaded dryer leads to lessened airflow and, therefore, extended dry time. — Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Dec. 2025

Verb

Though the rate of killing has lessened today, with some states restricting the shooting of prairie dogs, they’re still widely considered pests among ranchers. — Shi En Kim, AZCentral.com, 21 Sep. 2026 There were three rookie quarterbacks starting the opener in three of the previous five seasons as teams have become quicker to turn over the reins as the differences between the college and pro games have lessened. — ABC News, 7 Sep. 2026 However, nearly everything about the American approach to these concerns has lessened European confidence in Washington’s leadership and decision making. — Mark Sappenfield, Christian Science Monitor, 27 Aug. 2026 It's become harder for NFL scouts to evaluate a prospect's hunger, but the fears of how players will react to making money have lessened. — Saad Yousuf, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026 The safety concerns that come with bipedal robots—such as potentially falling over on a human worker—are lessened because a shipyard environment is staffed with workers who are trained to work around potentially dangerous industrial equipment. — Evan Ackerman, IEEE Spectrum, 17 Aug. 2026 Rutherford shares that, until now, a voyage like his would not have been possible, but warmer climates globally have drastically lessened the ice in the Arctic. — Meredith Wilshere, PEOPLE, 18 July 2026 Likewise, the respite afforded by the twin hydration breaks has also reduced the need for improvised periods of gentlemanly repose, which in turn has lessened the demand for the chilly spray. — Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 17 July 2026 The decision doesn’t automatically remove him from the Cy Young conversation, but his workload, lessened by the six-man rotation, was already the biggest adjustment to his campaign. — Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for lessened

Adjective

Smaller packs, demanding conditions Nyobolt’s high-power battery technology combines rapid charging with a design focused on cycle life and reduced system weight.

— Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 17 Oct. 2026
Cleaning rooms less frequently can also help hotels reduce labor expenses, although reduced housekeeping has raised concerns among workers about heavier workloads and the impact on guests.

— Ashley Lynch, Kansas City Star, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of reduced

Verb

Now the prevalence of malaria is around 7%, and deaths of children under five decreased by 78%.

— ABC News, ABC News, 18 Oct. 2026
The definitive study of feedback, Avraham Kluger and Angelo DeNisi’s meta-analysis of 23,663 observations, found that over a third of feedback interventions decreased performance.

— Zaharia-Gabriel Sidere, Forbes.com, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of decreased

Verb

The weather service canceled the flood watch for nearly all the Kansas City forecast area because the threat of additional heavy rain had diminished.

— Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 14 Oct. 2026
One can see this when a paint’s color appears diminished and faded.

— Wendy S. Walters, Architectural Digest, 12 Oct. 2026

Definition of diminished

Adjective

Kennedy’s new pyramid places meat, dairy, fruit, and vegetables at the top (most consumed), and tapers down through fruits and vegetables to whole grains.

— Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 31 July 2026
In Stoddart’s estimation, the best way to freeze these semi-consumed cakes is in slices.

— Taylor Tobin, Southern Living, 2 Dec. 2025

Definition of consumed

Verb

But within a couple years, as the pandemic eased and community-police tension subsided, Bolingbrook Police Chief Mike Rompa started using his village purchasing card – known as a p-card – in a different way than others with the same cards.

— Irika Sargent, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026
Meanwhile, conditions were improving in the tourist destination of Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, where residents began resuming normal activities as the rain subsided.

— ABC News, ABC News, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of subsided

Adjective

And Dieffenbach, who was racking up college offers, was left with a depleted roster and a grim senior season outlook.

— Connor Dullinger, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026
Joe Raedle | Getty Images Diesel prices may need to remain high through 2027 as refinery constraints contend with recovering consumption from governments and companies rebuild depleted inventories, according to Goldman Sachs.

— Matthew Tan, CNBC, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of depleted

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Style

“Lessened.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lessened. Accessed 19 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of lessened

adjective

verb

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Synonyms of lessened

adjective

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Articles Related to lessened

'Fewer' and 'Less'

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

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'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

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The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

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What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

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16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

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Games & Quizzes