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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Behaviors once deemed unacceptable are becoming normalized and excused.—
Toby Wong,
Forbes.com,
23 Apr. 2025 -
The school board then revised its Religious Diversity Guidelines to limit the circumstances when students can be excused to noncurricular activities or free-time events that conflict with their family's religious practices.—
Melissa Quinn,
CBS News,
22 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The myth that trans women are a danger to cis women is a grossly transphobic stereotype with almost no real-world justification, but Rowling pins most of her anti-trans arguments on it, using her experience as a survivor of domestic abuse to justify her prejudice.—
Aja Romano,
Vox,
18 Apr. 2025
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The funding freezes and cuts have been imposed before the completion of full investigations, and different legal rationales have been offered to justify them.—
Michael T. Nietzel,
Forbes.com,
18 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The reason for the independence, the Brookings Institution explains, is that politicians tend to want lower interest rates because lower rates stimulate the economy.—
Daniel de Visé,
USA Today,
21 Apr. 2025
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If yes, please explain: Only at the misdemeanor level.—
Harrison Mantas,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
20 Apr. 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 2 May. 2025.
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