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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No staff member is obligated to participate, nor are staff excused from normal duty for the purposes of their own participation.—
Megan De Mar,
CBS News,
17 Apr. 2026 -
More than 80 people have already requested to be excused from the case, according to the Associated Press, with no jurors picked on the first day of proceedings.—
Amethyst Martinez,
USA Today,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Our expert take The Chase Sapphire Reserve® is a standout premium credit card with plenty of luxury perks and statement credits to justify its annual fee.—
Jason Stauffer,
CNBC,
13 Apr. 2026
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For the Fed to cut, adding more liquidity to the economy while prices are already elevated would be highly unusual—but might be justified if another element of the Fed’s mandate demanded it.—
Eleanor Pringle,
Fortune,
13 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Burke explained, however, the homes may be isolated by water covering the road.—
Madeline King,
Chicago Tribune,
17 Apr. 2026
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Davis explained that gas taxes aren't like a sales tax — suspending them won't directly pass all of the savings to the consumer.—
Kathryn Watson,
CBS News,
16 Apr. 2026
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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Senior-home avatars who are designed to palliate dementia patients in their darkest days.—
Longreads,
Longreads,
12 Apr. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Extenuate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/extenuate. Accessed 18 Apr. 2026.
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