explained away; explaining away; explains away
Definition of explain away
1
: to get rid of by or as if by explanation
2
: to minimize the significance of by or as if by explanation
explains his faults, but does not try to explain them away— M. K. Spears
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“Explain away.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/explain%20away. Accessed 7 Jul. 2022.
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Time Traveler for explain away
The first known use of explain away was in 1688
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