Definitions
- Referring to the act of reducing or removing pain, discomfort, or stress. - Talking about providing assistance or support to someone in need. - Describing the act of releasing or freeing someone from a burden or responsibility.
- Referring to the act of reducing or decreasing something in quantity, intensity, or severity. - Talking about making something smaller or weaker. - Describing the act of diminishing or weakening the impact or effect of something.
List of Similarities
- 1Both words refer to reducing or decreasing something.
- 2Both words can be used to describe physical or emotional states.
- 3Both words can be used in medical contexts.
- 4Both words can be used to describe the impact of an action or event.
What is the difference?
- 1Focus: Relieve focuses on reducing pain, discomfort, or stress, while lessen focuses on reducing quantity, intensity, or severity.
- 2Usage: Relieve is often used with physical or emotional states, while lessen is more commonly used with quantities or intensities.
- 3Action: Relieve implies taking action to reduce or remove something, while lessen implies a natural or gradual decrease.
- 4Degree: Relieve implies a more significant reduction or removal, while lessen implies a partial or moderate reduction.
- 5Connotation: Relieve has a positive connotation of providing assistance or support, while lessen can have a neutral or negative connotation of weakening or diminishing something.
Remember this!
Relieve and lessen are synonyms that both refer to reducing or decreasing something. However, relieve focuses on reducing pain, discomfort, or stress, while lessen focuses on reducing quantity, intensity, or severity. Relieve implies taking action to provide assistance or support, while lessen implies a natural or gradual decrease.
