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• n  a change downward
• v  decrease in size, extent, or range
• v  make smaller
• v  wear off or die down

• One disadvantage to holding gold is that no interest is earned but rates on dollar-denominated assets such as government bonds have fallen sharply, lessening that disadvantage.
• In hopes of damping down the perennial feud between California's Republican moderates and conservativesand thus lessening Democratic Governor Pat Brown's third-term.
• For one thing, the largesse of Fidel's left-wing and oil-rich ally, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, has helped significantly to keep Cuba's economy afloat, lessening the urgency .

• decrease
• drop-off
• diminish
• lessen
• fall
• minify
• subside

• increase

News & Articles

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• Climate Ready program offers local governments, private groups grant opportunities
  Local governments and private groups interested in lessening the effects of climate change on coastal resources can submit applications for funding through the California Coastal Conservancy.
  June 22, 2013 - Daily Breeze
• Republican Cowles will vote for budget
  Republican Sen. Rob Cowles says he will vote for the state budget, lessening Democratic hopes to block the bill.
  June 21, 2013 - The Appleton Post-Crescent
• Private Lenders Ease Rules on Grads
  Sallie Mae and Discover are lessening the load of those saddled with student debt.
  June 20, 2013 - TheStreet.com via Yahoo! Finance

Quotes

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• Barack Obama in Wall Street Journal
  What I said in the letter was that, obviously, to the extent that we are lessening Iran's commitment to nuclear weapons, then that reduces the pressure for, or the need for, a missile-defense system,Mr. Obama told reporters.
• Henry Paulson in Forbes
  However, Paulson said waiting for this process to be completed should not be read "as any lessening of support for Paul" by the United States.