Militate and Mitigate :



These are not very common words, but people who use them—especially lawyers—tend to mix them up.


“Militate” is usually followed by “against” in a phrase that means “works against”:


“His enthusiasm for spectacular collisions militates against his becoming a really effective air traffic controller.”


“Mitigate” means almost the opposite: to make easier, to moderate.


“His pain at leaving was mitigated by her passionate kiss.”


It should not be followed by “against.”