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

The Mouse House also seems dead set on retconning all of its best villains, with recent movies giving weepy sob stories to Cruella de Vil, Maleficent and Scar to explain away their cruelty. — Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 24 May 2026

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

Production is either exalted or explained away. — Eddie Brown, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Apr. 2026

Offscreen, some fans accuse Wyle of explaining away or downplaying his fictional character’s cruelty, and of a constellation of other sins, including envy of his fellow actors’ credentials. — Scottie Andrew, CNN Money, 15 Apr. 2026