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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These bills send a clear message that political violence will never be excused, rewarded, or forgotten, and that our democracy is worth defending with action, not just words.—
Norma Torres,
Oc Register,
6 Jan. 2026 -
During voir dire, anyone who’s against capital punishment is excused from serving; the law demands that jurors remain amenable to all potential sentences.—
Dan Piepenbring,
Harpers Magazine,
30 Dec. 2025
Verb
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But his approach was justified with a surprising 9-7 finish in his first season.—
Dan Pompei,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
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Or is she justified in refusing to take more blame than war, governments, or the ocean itself?—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
6 Jan. 2026
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 7 Jan. 2026.
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