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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This justifies using the average premium SVOD churn rate, even though Paramount+ has traditionally fallen short of it.—
Andrew Root,
Sportico.com,
27 Feb. 2026 -
The constraint, Dolci says, is not audience demand – the performance of existing screens more than justifies expansion – but the availability of suitable sites.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
27 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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This explains why parents have so little patience for the complaint.—
Daniel Smith,
The Atlantic,
27 Feb. 2026
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In that sense, Coddington explains that legacy is not measured solely by what is transferred.—
Connie Etemadi,
USA Today,
27 Feb. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Extenuates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/extenuates. Accessed 5 Mar. 2026.
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