as in justifications
an explanation that frees one from fault or blame
"a really important business call" is no excuse for not paying proper attention to one's driving
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
1
as in ignores
to dismiss as of little importance
more often than not, voters are willing to excuse a candidate's youthful indiscretion
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in justifies
to be an acceptable reason for
having a female passenger in labor will generally excuse a little disregard for the speed limit
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in explains
to make (something) seem less bad by offering excuses
he's always excusing his chronic lying by claiming that everybody lies
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of excuses
Colson Thayer, PEOPLE, 9 Apr. 2026
All of a sudden, whenever the topic came up, their once-legitimate concerns about the future of the planet were recast as hand-wavey excuses, Caroline’s career setbacks as golden opportunities for pregnancy.
—Literary Hub, 9 Apr. 2026
California doesn’t need more excuses.
—Opinion Staff, Oc Register, 8 Apr. 2026
No chopping, no measuring, no excuses.
—Avery Newmark, AJC.com, 6 Apr. 2026
Do not make excuses or lie about your health.
—Judith Martin, Mercury News, 4 Apr. 2026
Of nailing one’s excuses to their own crosses and leaving them there.
—Colin Fleming, Chicago Tribune, 3 Apr. 2026
In Missouri, no-excuses in-person early voting starts Tuesday, March 23.
—Eleanor Nash, Kansas City Star, 3 Apr. 2026
The excuses really don’t matter.
—Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 29 Mar. 2026
NBC news, 12 Apr. 2026
Continue reading … MEDIA HALL PASS — Nashville public school excuses Muslim students for daily prayer time during Ramadan.
—FOXNews.com, 9 Apr. 2026
And while absolutely none of that excuses my actions, that's what happened.
—Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 3 Apr. 2026
None of that excuses the crimes.
—Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 10 Mar. 2026
Lost Lambs features an all-white cast in an anonymous American suburb, which excuses Cash from having to engage head-on with race.
—Malavika Kannan, Vulture, 3 Mar. 2026
In professional sports, excuses age quickly.
—Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 21 Feb. 2026
The rep excuses herself; in the hallway, Stephen congratulates Lucy.
—Jp Mangalindan, Time, 17 Feb. 2026
So people tend to define antisemitism in a way that excuses their side, and that throws all of the blame on the other side.
—David Remnick, New Yorker, 6 Feb. 2026
Noun
Maria allegedly provided various excuses for the delay.
—Colson Thayer, PEOPLE, 9 Apr. 2026
All of a sudden, whenever the topic came up, their once-legitimate concerns about the future of the planet were recast as hand-wavey excuses, Caroline’s career setbacks as golden opportunities for pregnancy.
—Literary Hub, 9 Apr. 2026
California doesn’t need more excuses.
—Opinion Staff, Oc Register, 8 Apr. 2026
No chopping, no measuring, no excuses.
—Avery Newmark, AJC.com, 6 Apr. 2026
Do not make excuses or lie about your health.
—Judith Martin, Mercury News, 4 Apr. 2026
Of nailing one’s excuses to their own crosses and leaving them there.
—Colin Fleming, Chicago Tribune, 3 Apr. 2026
In Missouri, no-excuses in-person early voting starts Tuesday, March 23.
—Eleanor Nash, Kansas City Star, 3 Apr. 2026
The excuses really don’t matter.
—Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 29 Mar. 2026
Verb
The Justice Department says Bondi’s ouster excuses her from having to appear.
—NBC news, 12 Apr. 2026
Continue reading … MEDIA HALL PASS — Nashville public school excuses Muslim students for daily prayer time during Ramadan.
—FOXNews.com, 9 Apr. 2026
And while absolutely none of that excuses my actions, that's what happened.
—Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 3 Apr. 2026
None of that excuses the crimes.
—Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 10 Mar. 2026
Lost Lambs features an all-white cast in an anonymous American suburb, which excuses Cash from having to engage head-on with race.
—Malavika Kannan, Vulture, 3 Mar. 2026
In professional sports, excuses age quickly.
—Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 21 Feb. 2026
The rep excuses herself; in the hallway, Stephen congratulates Lucy.
—Jp Mangalindan, Time, 17 Feb. 2026
So people tend to define antisemitism in a way that excuses their side, and that throws all of the blame on the other side.
—David Remnick, New Yorker, 6 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for excuses
Noun
-
Grove said the agency’s justifications for consolidating offices in Salt Lake City, Utah, don’t make sense.—
Karl Hille,
Baltimore Sun,
9 Apr. 2026
-
The numbers and justifications don’t add up.—
Kristen Monsell,
Sun Sentinel,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Most critically, the report measures income and largely ignores wealth, debt, and geographic reality.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
12 Apr. 2026
-
Any claim that the District has remained unresponsive or uncooperative is patently false and ignores months of direct consultation.—
Megan De Mar,
CBS News,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
However, that hardly justifies a $100 increase over last year’s model, which had the same display and memory.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
8 Apr. 2026
-
To me, what this justifies is more responsible behavior by social platforms to cut down on their most harmful features.—
Sawdah Bhaimiya,
CNBC,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Jeff’s worries, Rogers explains to the camera after seeing his young friend off, are different from the worry that one’s parents might separate.—
Jean Garnett,
New Yorker,
18 Apr. 2026
-
Saliers further explains that the essential tremor has impacted the way the duo can perform some of their most notable harmonies.—
Madison E. Goldberg,
PEOPLE,
18 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Ex-president Bolsonaro has been serving his sentence under house arrest for health reasons since last month, when he was rushed from prison to hospital with bronchopneumonia.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
14 Apr. 2026
-
Instead of litigating to protect the right to vote, the division has focused on demanding unprecedented access to state voter rolls for reasons that remain opaque.—
Quinta Jurecic,
The Atlantic,
13 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
There is no blanket federal program that automatically forgives credit card debt simply because someone is a veteran.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
3 Mar. 2026
-
Sinnott forgives his parents, and parents today who waver on vaccination.—
Arthur Allen,
Miami Herald,
28 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Being the president and all, Richard pardons himself and Jenny.—
Allison DeGrushe,
Entertainment Weekly,
20 Feb. 2026
-
Trump pardons 5 former NFL stars for wide-ranging crimes.—
,
FOXNews.com,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Hanson’s home is a quick golf-ride to the clubhouse and overlooks the driving range, as well as the first hole.—
David Caraccio,
Sacbee.com,
11 Apr. 2026
-
But Wiener—and, indeed, self-preferencing’s opponents in general—overlooks basic facts of the digital economy and, to justify his sweeping regulatory proposals, attaches ominous labels to ordinary conduct.—
David B Mcgarry,
Oc Register,
9 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Excuses.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/excuses. Accessed 18 Apr. 2026.
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