What term describes the act of making something less severe?

The term "mitigating" refers to the act of making something less severe, serious, or painful. It is commonly used in various contexts, including law and public safety, to describe measures taken to reduce the intensity or harmful effects of a situation or action. For example, in legal terms, mitigating circumstances can lessen the culpability of a defendant, while in environmental contexts, mitigation efforts aim to diminish the impact of harmful activities on ecosystems.

In contrast, the other terms refer to different actions. "Exacerbating" means to make a situation worse, which is the opposite of what mitigating accomplishes. "Neutralizing" involves counteracting an effect, which does not necessarily imply reducing severity but rather balancing or rendering ineffective. "Instigating" refers to inciting or starting something, typically in a context that encourages trouble or conflict, which is not related to making something less severe. Thus, "mitigating" is the appropriate choice for the definition of reducing severity.