1. (n.) The act of alleviating; a lightening of weight or severity; mitigation; relief.

2. (n.) That which mitigates, or makes more tolerable.

abatement abridgment allayment analgesia anesthesia anesthetizing appeasement assuagement attenuation blunting calming contraction dampening damping deadening decrease decrement decrescence deduction deflation demulsion depreciation depression diminishment diminution disburdening disencumberment dulcification dulling dying dying off ease easement easing extenuation fade-out falling-off hushing languishment leniency lessening letdown letup lightening loosening lowering lulling miniaturization mitigation modulation mollification numbing pacification palliation quietening quieting reduction relaxation relief remedy remission sagging salving scaling down simplicity slackening softening soothing subduement subtraction tempering tranquilization unballasting unburdening unfreighting unlading unloading unsaddling untaxing weakening