Mitigate, the Word of the Day, means to lessen the severity, harm, or pain of something. For instance, completing a construction project on time can mitigate its impact on residents. The U.S. Department of Energy issued an order to mitigate blackouts in the Carolinas during hot weather. While its meaning is clear, mitigate is sometimes confused with militate. Militate means to have weight or effect, often used with "against," as in unexcused absences militating against a promotion. These words have distinct Latin origins: mitigare for "soften" and militare for "engage in warfare." Despite their differences, confusion between them has led some experts to accept "mitigate against" as an idiom. Even William Faulkner used "mitigates against" in his 1932 short story. However, for most speakers, it's advisable to maintain the distinction between mitigate and militate.