attenuate
To reduce in force, intensity, or value
Examples
In a meeting
“The new policy will attenuate the impact of price fluctuations”
Over coffee
“Time has attenuated my anger about what happened”
Why this word
weaken
Attenuate implies gradual reduction in force, intensity, or value, often technical, while weaken is more general and less precise about the mechanism
reduce
Attenuate specifically means to make thin or less in force/intensity through dilution or tapering, while reduce is generic for any kind of lessening
diminish
Attenuate emphasizes gradual thinning or tapering with technical precision, while diminish broadly means to make smaller without specifying the process
Usage tip
Use when describing a gradual weakening or reduction; more technical than 'reduce' but appropriate in strategic discussions
Etymology
Latin 'attenuare' (ad- 'to' + tenuare 'make thin' from tenuis 'thin')
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Related words
dilute
To make weaker by adding something or spreading too thin
dissipate
To gradually disappear or scatter
curtailment
The action of reducing or limiting something
retrench
Reduce costs or expenditures, especially by cutting back operations
narrow
To reduce the range or scope of something
minimize
Reduce something to the smallest possible amount or degree