In this English vocabulary question, choose the word which is most nearly opposite in meaning to the verb “mitigate”.

Introduction / Context:
The word “mitigate” is frequently used in formal English, especially in legal, environmental and policy-related contexts. Exams like SSC, banking and other competitive tests often use it in vocabulary questions to check whether you can identify its correct synonym or antonym. Here you are asked to choose the word that is opposite in meaning to “mitigate”, so you must clearly understand what this verb means in standard usage.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The given word is “mitigate”.
• The task is to find the opposite in meaning (antonym).
• The options are: enlarge, reduce, increase, multiply.
• All four options are verbs related to change in degree or quantity.

Concept / Approach:
“To mitigate” means to make something less severe, less serious or less painful. For example, one can mitigate risk, mitigate damage or mitigate suffering. So the core idea is reduction in severity or intensity. Therefore, the antonym must convey making something more severe, stronger or greater rather than less. A common trap in such questions is the presence of near-synonyms among the options. Here, “reduce” is actually a synonym of “mitigate”, and you must avoid confusing it with the opposite. After clarifying the core meaning of “mitigate”, we compare each option carefully against that meaning.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that “mitigate” means to lessen, reduce or make milder. Step 2: Identify the correct semantic opposite: to make greater, more intense or more severe. Step 3: Look at option b) “reduce”. This means to make smaller or less, which is very close in sense to “mitigate”. Therefore it cannot be an antonym. Step 4: Consider option a) “enlarge”. This usually refers to increasing physical size, such as enlarging a photo. It is not the standard conceptual opposite used in contexts like risk, pain or punishment. Step 5: Consider option c) “increase”. This means to make something larger in amount, number or degree. That is directly opposite to the idea of reducing or lessening. Step 6: Consider option d) “multiply”. This also indicates increase, but often in the sense of multiplying numbers or becoming more numerous. It is not the most precise contrast word used against “mitigate”. Step 7: Choose “increase” as the most accurate and commonly accepted antonym of “mitigate” in formal English usage.

Verification / Alternative check:
You can verify the answer by placing the words in example sentences. “The new law aims to mitigate pollution” means the law aims to reduce pollution. The opposite idea would be “The new law will increase pollution”, which is clearly a contrast. Sentences like “The new law will enlarge pollution” or “multiply pollution” sound awkward or less natural. Also, “The new law aims to reduce pollution” shows that “mitigate” and “reduce” have similar meanings. This check confirms that “increase” is the correct choice for the antonym here.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
“Reduce” is wrong because it behaves like a synonym of “mitigate”, not an antonym. “Enlarge” is a verb about size and does not work smoothly in many typical contexts where “mitigate” is used, such as mitigating pain or mitigating penalties. “Multiply” suggests an increase in number but is not the standard opposite used against “mitigate” in serious writing. Only “increase” consistently expresses the opposite idea across a wide range of contexts, including risk, suffering, damage and impact.

Common Pitfalls:
Many candidates rush and pick a familiar word without comparing meanings carefully. Because “mitigate” is slightly formal, some students are unsure whether it leans towards increase or decrease. Others see two “increase-type” options (“increase” and “multiply”) and get confused. The safe approach is to recall a sentence you may have read, such as “mitigating the effects of climate change”, and mentally replace “mitigate” with “reduce”. Once you accept that “mitigate” is close to “reduce”, the clear opposite becomes “increase”.

Final Answer:
The correct antonym of “mitigate” is increase.