Question

Difficulty: MediumIsolated Word Synonyms

The word MITIGATE most nearly means which of the following?

  1. A
    Aggravate
  2. AlleviateAnswer
  3. C
    Litigate
  4. D
    Instigate

Answer

Alleviate
The word 'mitigate' means to reduce the severity, seriousness, or painfulness of something. 'Alleviate' is an exact synonym meaning to make something less severe or more bearable.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Define the target word 'mitigate'
'Mitigate' is a verb meaning to make something less severe, painful, or harmful.
Establishing the precise definition of the isolated target word is required to identify true synonyms.
2
Evaluate the meanings of all provided choices
'Alleviate' means to make less severe; 'Aggravate' means to worsen; 'Litigate' relates to legal action; 'Instigate' means to provoke.
Analyzing each option helps differentiate exact synonyms from antonyms, phonetically similar words, and unrelated terms.
3
Select the choice with the matching semantic definition
'Alleviate' is the exact synonym for 'mitigate'.
Both terms share the core meaning of diminishing the intensity or burden of a negative condition.

Key Concept

Identifying direct synonyms for isolated vocabulary terms while avoiding antonyms and visually similar distractors.
Estimated Time:30s
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