Synonyms of explain away

explain away

verb

1

as in to explain

to give the reason for or cause of

after the surprise attack, military leaders struggled to explain away the nation's unpreparedness

Synonyms & Similar Words

• explain
• account (for)
• justify
• rationalize
• attribute
• forgive
• excuse
• condone
• absolve
• vindicate
• exonerate
• acquit
• exculpate

2

as in to excuse

to make (something) seem less bad by offering excuses

tried to explain away his adulterous affairs by saying that men are promiscuous by nature

Synonyms & Similar Words

• explain
• excuse
• justify
• gloss (over)
• account (for)
• whitewash
• palliate
• gloze (over)
• confess
• deodorize
• extenuate
• play down
• minimize
• apologize
• alleviate
• varnish
• atone
• rationalize
• mitigate
• moderate
• lighten
• soften
• temper
• sugarcoat
• vindicate
• lessen
• ease
• absolve
• exonerate
• acquit
• exculpate
• soft-pedal
• clear

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of explain away

These subtle shifts are easy to explain away and even easier to ignore. — Tatiana Dias, Vogue, 30 June 2026

However, in the months after giving birth to her daughter, Cust began noticing symptoms that felt unusual, but easy to explain away as postpartum exhaustion. — Tereza Shkurtaj, PEOPLE, 30 May 2026

Certainly, there are swing issues that can’t be explained away by a good week at Triple-A. — John Shipley, Twin Cities, 29 May 2026

There was no explaining away a mistake like that. — Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 15 May 2026