Lessen
Lessen verb - To make smaller in amount, volume, or extent.
Usage example: we lessened our efforts as it became clear they weren't having an effect
Raise
Raise verb - To make greater in size, amount, or number.
Usage example: the multiplex raised the minimum age for paid admissions from four to six
Common collocations
| power | lessen power | raise power |
| time | lessen time | raise time |
| suspicion | lessen suspicion | raise suspicion |
| morale | lessen morale | raise morale |
| Other words: suspicions. | ||
Both words in one sentence
-
Space advocates would like to raise it back to the Apollo-era level (4.41%), or lessen Congress's control over NASA's missions and strategies.
Source: Useful Notes / NASA
Cite this Source
Raise and Lessen. (2016). Retrieved 2026, July 21, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/lessen/raise
Lessen & Raise. N.p., 2016. Web. 21 Jul. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/lessen/raise>.
Raise or Lessen. 2016. Accessed July 21, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/lessen/raise.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "lessen" and "raise" have occurred on timeline