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
Verb
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In the wake of the news and looming death of mall culture (excuse the catastrophizing, but this is a heavy day), the PEOPLE staff held a private vigil on Slack, with emotions ranging from heartbreak and nostalgic reminiscing ... plus some utterly shocked that the store was still standing.—
Stephanie Sengwe,
People.com,
6 Aug. 2025 -
As the old saw goes, ignorance of the law excuses no man (person).—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
6 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Instead, it is used symbolically: to impress investors, manage employee morale, and justify corporate restructuring.—
Shivaram Rajgopal,
Forbes.com,
17 Aug. 2025
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The military, which had previously ruled Myanmar with an iron fist for decades, sought to justify its takeover by alleging widespread voter fraud in the 2020 election, which was won in a landslide by Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy Party.—
Helen Regan,
CNN Money,
17 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Treating Tech as a Cost Center A basic disconnect explains this secrecy.—
Kiri Masters,
Forbes.com,
18 Aug. 2025
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Acting as a middleman, McNeil explained that the county would offer him a $500 check for the option to buy his land anytime in the next year for $15,000 an acre for a potential industrial development project.—
Sarah Henry,
The Courier-Journal,
18 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Radiation can also be used to palliate painful bone metastases, as well as chemotherapy.—
Lauryn Higgins,
Flow Space,
1 Oct. 2024
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Radiation can also be used to palliate painful bone metastases, as well as chemotherapy.—
Lauryn Higgins,
Flow Space,
1 Oct. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Extenuate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/extenuate. Accessed 23 Aug. 2025.
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