as in justifies
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 extenuates
Verb
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The concept shared by these two works is the idea that colonial and authoritarian societies are held together through the presence of a scapegoat (The Barbarians) whose existence justifies the need for all the tools a society uses to build and maintain control.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
20 Feb. 2026 -
Every clash justifies the next.—
Joe Palaggi,
Twin Cities,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
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In professional sports, excuses age quickly.—
Mike Bianchi,
The Orlando Sentinel,
21 Feb. 2026
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The rep excuses herself; in the hallway, Stephen congratulates Lucy.—
JP Mangalindan,
Time,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Güell’s vision was to build an estate for affluent families—Gaudí planned 60 homes, a market, and gardens inspired by British parks (which explains the English spelling of the Catalan word parc), but the scheme never took off.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
21 Feb. 2026
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As an Offshore Energy report explains, the agreement included the installation, offshore operations, maintenance, and project engineering for the subsea trencher.—
Chris Young,
Interesting Engineering,
21 Feb. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Extenuates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/extenuates. Accessed 25 Feb. 2026.
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