verb / adjective
attenuate
uh-TEN-yoo-ayt/əˈtenjueɪt/
To make weaker or less substantial, or having these qualities.
The heavy acoustic curtain attenuates sound passing through the room.
Etymology
The central image is making something thin. This extends naturally to making it less powerful or effective: attenuating a force means diminishing it rather than necessarily removing it.
In context
those goals are to attenuate and eradicate proliferating pathological organisms to promote healing and to reestablish the vascular permeability
More examples
- The filter attenuated the strongest part of the signal.
- Distance keeps attenuating the light as it spreads.
- The botanical drawing shows an attenuate leaf tapering to a narrow point.
Forms
attenuate · attenuates · attenuated · attenuating
attenuation noun — A reduction in strength or intensity.
Similar words
- weaken
- Is the ordinary general term for reducing strength.
- diminish
- Can reduce size or quantity without changing strength.