Attenuate
/əˈtɛnjueɪt/
verbC1
Definition
Attenuate means to reduce the strength, amount, or intensity of something. It is often used in science and medicine to describe making signals, sounds, or diseases weaker. In general, it means to make something less powerful or less noticeable.
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See It in Action
To reduce the strength or effect of something
- •The sunglasses attenuate the sunlight to protect your eyes.
- •Engineers attenuate the noise in machines to make them quieter.
- •The medicine can attenuate the symptoms of the disease.
To reduce the force or intensity of a signal or wave
- •The signal attenuates as it travels through the walls.
- •Sound waves attenuate when they pass through thick materials.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of 'attenuate' like 'reduce' (A2 word), but more formal and often about making something less strong, not just smaller in size
- ✓Picture a strong light becoming dimmer and softer as it passes through a curtain
- ✓It's the feeling when loud music becomes quieter as you move away from the speaker
- ✓Sounds like 'at-TEN-uate' → Imagine TEN tiny drops slowly making a big wave smaller and smaller
- ✓Think of a radio signal losing power as it travels far from the station, becoming weak and hard to hear
- ✓NOT like 'stop' (which means completely end), 'attenuate' means to make less strong but not completely gone
- ✓NOT like 'break' (which means to damage or destroy), 'attenuate' is about softening or weakening without damage
- ✓NOT like 'shrink' (which means to get smaller in size), 'attenuate' focuses on strength or force, not size
Try Other Words
- •Weaken: to make less strong (Use when talking about physical strength, power, or effects)
- •Diminish: to make smaller or less important (Use when referring to size, importance, or intensity)
- •Soften: to make less harsh or severe (Use when the effect is about making something gentler)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: prefix 'at-' (variant of ad-, meaning 'to' or 'toward') + root 'tenu-' (from Latin meaning 'thin' or 'weak') + suffix '-ate' (a verb-forming ending)
- •Etymology: From Latin 'attenuare,' meaning 'to make thin or weak'
- •Historical development: Used since the 1600s to mean making something thinner or weaker in force or strength
- •Modern usage: Common in technical fields like physics, medicine, and engineering to describe reducing strength or intensity
Reflect & Connect
•In what situations might it be helpful to attenuate something rather than completely stop it?
•How can understanding the idea of attenuation help you in everyday life, like when listening to music or using technology?
Fill in the blanks
1.Sunglasses attenuate ___ sunlight to protect your eyes from ___ brightness.
2.The sound attenuates as it passes through ___ walls, making it ___ clear.
3.To attenuate a signal means to reduce its ___ without completely ___ it.
4.Engineers try to attenuate ___ noise in machines to make them ___ comfortable.
5.When a disease is attenuated, its symptoms become ___ but the disease is not ___.
6.The radio signal attenuated ___ distance, so the music became ___ to hear.
7.Unlike stopping something completely, to attenuate means to ___ its strength or effect.