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extenuates

verb

present tense third-person singular of extenuate
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
  1. justifies
  2. excuses
  3. explains
Verb
  • For wealth advisors and the product providers, like AQR and Quantinno, the complexity justifies the fees and benefits.
    — Robert Frank, CNBC, 11 Sep. 2026
  • The overall experience more than justifies the 15-minute ferry ride from the mainland.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of justifies
Verb
  • None of that excuses his behavior, but a change of brain function, rather than a change of heart, is something his constituents need to consider.
    — Michael P.H. Stanley, STAT, 10 Sep. 2026
  • Any person who celebrates, encourages, or excuses actions like these is fundamentally wrong.
    — Jesse Zanger, CBS News, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of excuses
Verb
  • Viewed separately, each signal explains one part of the story.
    — Suresh Rajapakse, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Trump’s preference for immediate gratification explains many of his decisions, including defunding scientific and medical research, accelerating fossil-fuel emissions, and denigrating American soft power globally.
    — Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of explains
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Cite this Entry

“Extenuates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/extenuates. Accessed 17 Sep. 2026.

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