as in excused
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 extenuated
Verb
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The fumble, of course, cannot be excused, but Henderson's development is essential to the Patriots fulfilling the best version of their offense.—
Andrew Callahan,
Boston Herald,
28 Oct. 2025 -
After Politico reported that Young Republicans expressed outrageously racist, misogynistic and anti-Semitic sentiments, Vice President JD Vance excused it as just the edgy chat of young activists.—
The Editorial Board,
Oc Register,
19 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Some justified their retreats by citing the 2023 Supreme Court ruling against affirmative action in college admissions.—
Essence,
Essence,
10 Nov. 2025
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What begins as an academic thought experiment — can a lie ever be justified?—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
8 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The organization explained that the shelter avoids labeling dogs by breed to help reduce breed bias, which can negatively affect adoption rates, especially for pit bull-type mixes.—
Alice Gibbs,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 Nov. 2025
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Wang explained that integrating thermal management directly into the battery reduces space, power consumption, and maintenance needs.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Mayorga combined the rhythms of the San Juanito - traditional Andean music - with rural Colombian cumbia, which arrived in Ecuador via the record industry, already processed and whitewashed.—
NPR,
NPR,
13 Oct. 2025
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The moss brings a splash of color that maintains a sophisticated and minimalist quality, while keeping a space from becoming whitewashed.—
Julia Harrison,
Architectural Digest,
6 Oct. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Extenuated.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/extenuated. Accessed 13 Nov. 2025.
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