What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
palliate
Example
The doctor prescribed medication to palliate the pain. [palliate: verb]
Example
The company tried to palliate the negative impact of their actions by making a small donation to charity. [palliate: verb]
alleviate
Example
The medication helped alleviate her migraine. [alleviate: verb]
Example
The government implemented policies to alleviate poverty in the country. [alleviate: verb]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Alleviate is more commonly used than palliate in everyday language. Alleviate is versatile and covers a wide range of contexts, while palliate is less common and often used in medical contexts.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between palliate and alleviate?
Both palliate and alleviate are formal words, but palliate is more technical and specific to medical contexts, while alleviate can be used in both formal and informal contexts.
