amortiguar

v. muffle, silence or lessen a sound; absorb; leak

= attenuate, cushion.
Ex: In the emerging technological environment of distributed systems, however, the informal or even formal links between source and user are attenuated or broken.
Ex: The key to cushioning the impact of future reductions is to begin before one is even required to.
----
* amortiguar el eco = deaden + echo.
* amortiguar el golpe = soften + the blow.