If you alleviate pain, suffering, or an unpleasant condition, you make it less intense or severe. Nowadays, a great deal can be done to alleviate back pain. = ease aggravate + alleviation al·le·via·tion Their energies were focussed on the alleviation of the refugees' misery. to make something less painful or difficult to deal with alleviate the problem/situation/suffering etc (past participle of alleviare, from ad- + levis )