Thesaurus results for EXTENUATE

extenuate

verb

ik-ˈsten-yə-ˌwāt

Definition of extenuate

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

Relevance

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for extenuate

Verb

Senior quarterback Dante Moore was nowhere to be found during media availability following the Ducks' loss on the road, which was noticed by every reporter in the room, but according to head coach Dan Lanning, his absence was excused.

— Mark Harris OutKick, FOXNews.com, 15 Sep. 2026
Choose a seat far from your brother-in-law or excuse yourself to help with the dishes.

— Meghan O’Gieblyn, New Yorker, 14 Sep. 2026

Definition of excuse

Verb

The Italian Interior Ministry used that same threat to justify extending the border checks Tuesday.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 16 Sep. 2026
First-act setups extend through the majority of the 108-minute runtime, constituting a plotless meander without the aesthetic allure to justify such a languid journey.

— Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 16 Sep. 2026

Definition of justify

Verb

One month before the Pentagon announced its first equity stake in a company, its top lawyer asked the White House to explain why the deal wouldn’t break the law.

— Eleanor Mueller, semafor.com, 21 Sep. 2026
Kane also introduced some new styles, like the asymmetrical axe bag in white leather, and the chop, a smaller, curved shoulder bag style, both centered on the idea of cutting away at a Mulberry tree to promote new growth, Kane explained backstage.

— Lucy Maguire, Vogue, 21 Sep. 2026

Definition of explain

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

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Extenuate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/extenuate. Accessed 22 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of extenuate

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

nemesis

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Why do we say 'fly off the handle'?

Popular

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes