Which word means 'to soften, to lessen'?

• A. Misanthrope
• B. Obdurate
• C. Mitigate
• D. Mollify

Answer: (C)

The concept here is choosing a word that means reducing the impact or severity of something. Mitigate directly conveys making something less severe, harmful, or serious—like reducing damage, risk, or consequences. That sense fits "to soften, to lessen" in a broad, pragmatic way: you mitigate a problem, you mitigate a penalty, you mitigate the damage.

Mollify, while related, focuses more on soothing or pacifying emotions or tempers rather than decreasing the actual severity or extent of a situation. Obdurate describes a stubborn, unyielding attitude, not an action of lessening. Misanthrope is a noun referring to a person who dislikes humanity, not a verb at all. So the best match for the idea of softening or diminishing impact is mitigate.