lessen B1 Topic:Grammar & Function Words US /ˈlɛsən/ See IPA manual Homophones lesson /ˈlɛs.ən/ Freq #24642 Meanings 1 verb To make something smaller or weaker; to reduce. Taking the medicine should lessen the pain. 2 verb To become smaller or weaker. The storm slowly lessened during the night. Thesaurus Synonyms 1 verb · to make something smaller... decreasereduce 2 verb · to become smaller or weaker. subsideabate More remit Word family Forms lessenedlesseninglessens Derived forms lessenablelessenerunlessening Etymology AI details From Middle English lessenen, lasnen, equivalent to less + -en (verbal suffix). lessenen Middle English View etymology graph -> Topics Grammar & Function Words External links Cambridge Dictionary Wiktionary Google Images # lessen **Type:** Word **Level:** B1 **Part of speech:** verb **IPA (US):** /ˈlɛsən/ **Frequency rank:** 24642 ## Meanings 1. To make something smaller or weaker; to reduce. 2. To become smaller or weaker. ## Examples - Taking the medicine should lessen the pain. - The storm slowly lessened during the night. ## Synonyms - remit ## Derived Forms - lessenable - lessener - unlessening ## Roots and Affixes - Root: lessenen ## Etymology From Middle English lessenen, lasnen, equivalent to less + -en (verbal suffix). ## AI Etymology Lessen comes from Middle English lessenen, lasnen, equivalent to less + -en (verbal suffix). The analysis is mainly morphological: the modern verbal form is built from the named base and affix. ## Topics - Grammar & Function Words markdown