* To lessen the pain, apply ice to the injured area. (This sentence shows "lessen" being used as a verb meaning to make something smaller or less intense.)
* The new medication helped to lessen her anxiety. (This sentence demonstrates "lessen" used as a verb meaning to reduce or diminish.)
* The bad news did little to lessen her optimism. (This sentence highlights "lessen" being used to show that something did not reduce something else.)
* The teacher's explanation lessened the students' confusion. (This sentence shows "lessen" being used to describe how something made something else less.)