mitigatory

Mitigatory is an adjective meaning designed to lessen or moderate something negative, such as severity, punishment, or risk. It is used when describing actions, factors, or measures that reduce harm or culpability. In legal contexts, mitigating or mitigatory factors are circumstances that lessen blame or the severity of a penalty, such as lack of prior record, genuine remorse, or the absence of intent. They are weighed against aggravating factors to determine a sentence.

Beyond law, mitigatory measures appear in policy, environmental planning, and risk management. Examples include pollution controls, safety protocols, and disaster-preparedness steps intended to reduce potential damage or harm. In risk assessment, mitigatory controls aim to lower the probability or impact of a hazard.

In rhetoric and communication, mitigatory language seeks to soften claims or acknowledge objections to reduce perceived hostility or risk of offense. The term is closely related to mitigation, and to related adjectives such as mitigant, mitigative, and mitigating. Mitigatory is often interchangeable with mitigating in many contexts, though some authors reserve mitigatory for factors or actions that actively reduce severity.

Etymology: mitigatory derives from mitigate, from Latin mitigare "to soften," from mitis "soft."