lessen
Americanverb (used without object)
verb (used with object)
-
to make less; reduce.
-
Archaic. to represent as less; depreciate; disparage.
verb
-
to make or become less
-
(tr) to make little of
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
lessensimple
-
lessenssimple
-
have lessenedperfect
-
has lessenedperfect
-
am lesseningprogressive
-
are lesseningprogressive
-
is lesseningprogressive
-
have been lesseningperfect progressive
-
has been lesseningperfect progressive
Past
-
lessenedsimple
-
had lessenedperfect
-
was lesseningprogressive
-
were lesseningprogressive
-
had been lesseningperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of lessen
First recorded in 1300–50; late Middle English lessenen, lasnen; equivalent to less + -en 1
Explanation
To lessen is to make smaller, to reduce, or to weaken. A high school football coach might try to lessen head injuries by improving the quality of the team's helmets. If your cold symptoms lessen, it means you're sneezing and coughing much less and can probably go to school. If the value of your Pez collection lessens, it means those plastic candy dispensers can't be sold for quite as much money on eBay. And your friend might recommend that you take a yoga class or learn to meditate, especially if she thinks you should lessen your stress and anxiety.
Vocabulary lists containing lessen
Going Down: Synonyms for "Fall"
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Chop Chop: Synonyms for "Cut"
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Road Trip Magical Mystery List A
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
ESPN’s direct-to-consumer streaming service, designed to lessen its dependency on declining cable TV revenue, is still in its nascent stage.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2026
Washing or peeling can lessen the risk of infection, but cooking food to at least 158 degrees reliably kills Cyclospora.
From Slate ● Jul. 17, 2026
High pressure will remain centred to the north of the UK and the brisk east to north-easterly winds will gradually lessen with warmer air from northern France pushing back into southern England.
From BBC ● Jul. 11, 2026
It wouldn’t, however, lessen absenteeism among workers losing sleep in hot homes in India’s cities.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 7, 2026
His breathing had become even; the panicky feeling began to lessen.
From "Healer of the Water Monster" by Brian Young
This actuarial approach lessens the chance you’ll run out of money, and it lets good market returns flow through to higher spending.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 23, 2026
It creates multiple pathways for energy to move through the system, reduces wasted power, and lessens the strain on the resonator.
From Science Daily ● Apr. 10, 2026
The bill, among other things, makes it easier to build manufactured homes, lessens regulations, and gives incentives to localities to encourage home building.
From Barron's ● Mar. 16, 2026
Global demand for travel is fairly strong going into the new year, she notes, and that lessens the need to offer deals.
From MarketWatch ● Dec. 18, 2025
As I laugh with them, the churning inside me lessens.
From "Amina's Song" by Hena Khan
Neither is perfect—no earthly creation is—and each is lessened by its complicity with the institution of slavery.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 19, 2026
The issue, Travers said, has been lessened and “certain areas things are getting a little bit cleaned up. And I’m assuming that she’s, you know, part of that whole thing.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 2, 2026
She lost her sight aged 17, five years ago, and says her more observational tics, such as focusing on peoples' physical appearances, have since lessened.
From BBC ● Feb. 27, 2026
There have been years of discussions of a federated European Union cloud and talks of what lessened dependence on the whims of American Big Tech companies might mean.
From Barron's ● Jan. 28, 2026
But his illness lessened and he got stronger.
From "Charles and Emma: The Darwins' Leap of Faith" by Deborah Heiligman
Shares of banks, airlines, retailers and other industries that had struggled since February have started breaking higher, lessening the market’s dependence on hot tech stocks and catching the attention of chart-watching technical strategists.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 17, 2026
Yes, it’s too high, he says, but he suggests that his housing plan will deploy a trickle-down approach that starts with lessening landlords’ risks and costs and thus encourages them to build more.
From Slate ● Jun. 3, 2026
A source close to PIF said the move should not be seen as a sign of any lessening in interest in sports investments.
From BBC ● Apr. 16, 2026
Ellen Swallow Richards is known as the founder of home economics, which to her meant bringing scientific principles to domestic life, lessening household labor and improving public health.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 9, 2026
He felt a slight lessening of nervous tension and swallowed.
From "Native Son" by Richard Wright
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
