Abatement refers generally to a lessening, diminution, reduction, or moderation; specifically, it may refer to: 421-a tax abatement, property tax exemption in the U.S. state of New York Abatement of debts and legacies, a common law doctrine of wills Abatement in pleading, a legal defense to civil and criminal actions Abatement (heraldry), a modification of the shield or coat of arms imposed by authority for misconduct Asbestos abatement, removal of asbestos from structures Bird abatement, driving or removing undesired birds from an area Dust abatement, the process of inhibiting the creation of excess soil dust Graffiti abatement, a joint effort between groups to eliminate graffiti Marginal abatement cost, the marginal cost of reducing pollution Noise abatement, strategies to reduce noise pollution or its impact Nuisance abatement, regulatory compliance methodology Tax abatement, temporary reduction or elimination of a tax See also Abate (disambiguation)