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"

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Recent Examples of Synonyms for extenuate

Verb

State lawmakers passed legislation this summer to require school principals to excuse student absences related to private, off-campus religious instruction programs.

— Rebecca Noel, Charlotte Observer, 24 Aug. 2026
The abuse of women and girls has long been ignored, excused, protected and even turned into profit.

— Jodi Bondi Norgaard, Chicago Tribune, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of excuse

Verb

The government may not decide that Church teaching is insufficiently religious, insufficiently consistent with Catholic doctrine, or insufficiently compelling to justify an ecclesiastical policy.

— Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 26 Aug. 2026
Organizers of Tuesday's rally said the women were released from ICE detention after a judge granted their habeas corpus petitions, meaning the government was required to justify their continued detention.

— Drew Aunkst, CBS News, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of justify

Verb

One of the questions, directed to David Hunt, director of finance for Entergy Arkansas, asks him to explain the reasoning for the classification of the payments.

— Sydney Sasser, Arkansas Online, 1 Sep. 2026
Bernadette explains the racial nuances the Guardians might not know as newcomers to Earth, echoing the landmark 1971 Green Lantern/Green Arrow comic series, which attempts to bring the space cops down to Earth by exposing them to racial strife.

— Siddhant Adlakha, Vulture, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of explain

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extents

extenuate

extenuated

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“Extenuate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/extenuate. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of extenuate

verb

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