Meaning & use
attenuation
A gradual reduction in the strength, force, value, or amount of something over distance or time.
See it in a sentence
The engineers measured signal attenuation as the cable length increased.
Vaccines sometimes use attenuation of a virus to make it safe but still effective.
A note on using this word
Attenuation is common in physics and engineering for signal or sound loss, and in medicine for a weakened, less harmful form of a pathogen.
Words with a similar meaning
reductionweakening
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Words with an opposite meaning
amplificationstrengthening
Make it your own
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