extenuate

verb

ik-ˈsten-yə-ˌwāt How to pronounce extenuate (audio)
Definition of extenuatenext
as in to excuse
to make (something) seem less bad by offering excuses don't even try to extenuate their vandalism of the cemetery with the old refrain of "Boys will be boys"

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for extenuate
  1. excuse
  2. justify
  3. explain
  4. palliate
Verb
  • Students who are absent due to flooding or weather conditions will be excused, and bus riders should expect delays.
    — Angie DiMichele, Sun Sentinel, 3 Nov. 2026
  • Sumrall also didn’t excuse the inconsistent play at the quarterback position.
    — Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of excuse
Verb
  • India has a strong structural growth story, but investors still need earnings growth to justify the valuation premium, Luchnikava-Schorsch said.
    — Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 5 Nov. 2026
  • And in each case the president attempted to explain and justify his policies—standards Trump has routinely failed to meet.
    — Daniel W. Drezner, Foreign Affairs, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of justify
Verb
  • Officials, for example, have not explained whether Young’s administrative leave was related to allegations against him personally, his supervisory responsibilities or another reason.
    — Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 3 Nov. 2026
  • Respond to what’s been said, and let the other person explain the rest.
    — Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of explain
Verb
  • Radiation can also be used to palliate painful bone metastases, as well as chemotherapy.
    — Lauryn Higgins, Flow Space, 1 Oct. 2024
  • Senior-home avatars who are designed to palliate dementia patients in their darkest days.
    — Longreads, Longreads, 12 Apr. 2024
Definition of palliate
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Browse Nearby Words

extents
extenuate
extenuated
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Cite this Entry

“Extenuate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/extenuate. Accessed 11 Nov. 2026.

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