The word "mitigate" is best defined by which of the following phrases?

The term "mitigate" is best defined as "to reduce" because it refers to the act of making something less severe, serious, or painful. In various contexts, it often involves taking steps to lessen negative effects or to alleviate a problem. For instance, in risk management or disaster response, mitigating risks means implementing strategies to lower the potential impact of those risks. This understanding aligns well with the concept of decreasing or minimizing adverse outcomes, which is why "to reduce" is the most accurate definition among the options.