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Synonyms
at·ten·u·ate (ə-tĕńyōō-āt́)

[Latin attenuāre, attenuāt-, ad-, ad-, + tenuāre, to make thin (from tenuis, thin; see ten-).]

verb: -at·ed, -at·ing, -ates. 

transitive verb 

  1. To make slender, fine, or small: The drought attenuated the river to a narrow channel.
  2. To reduce in force, value, amount, or degree; weaken: Medicine attenuated the fever's effect.
  3. To lessen the density of; rarefy.
  4. Biology To make (bacteria or viruses) less virulent.
  5. Electronics To reduce (the amplitude of an electrical signal) with little or no distortion.

intransitive verb 

To become thin, weak, or fine.

adjective 

  1. Reduced or weakened, as in strength, value, or virulence.
  2. Botany Gradually tapering to a slender point.

derivatives

at·teńu·átion
noun