extenuation

noun

Definition of extenuationnext
as in confession

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of extenuation Not surprisingly, fellow-travelers on the left criticized Conquest either from a wish to disbelieve the Soviet horrors or from an ideological sympathy that compelled extenuation of them. — Peter J. Travers, National Review, 29 Mar. 2022
Recent Examples of Synonyms for extenuation
  1. confession
  2. acknowledgment
  3. atonement
  4. vindication
  5. out
  6. rationale
  7. rationalization
  8. justification
Noun
  • Footage eventually led to two suspects, ages 19 and 21, and interrogations concluded with confessions from both, officials said.
    — Mark Price July 10, Charlotte Observer, 10 July 2026
  • Since the fall of the Soviet Union 35 years ago, government files have been declassified and grand-jury testimonies unsealed; key players have made dramatic confessions.
    — Amy Weiss-Meyer, The Atlantic, 10 July 2026
Definition of confession
Noun
  • There was not, however, a single mention made or acknowledgement of the finding against McGregor in 2024.
    — Sarah Shephard, New York Times, 11 July 2026
  • Even a simple internal acknowledgment that a moment is difficult, and that support is available, can make a meaningful difference to the people carrying the most weight.
    — Aaron Wolowiec, Forbes.com, 7 July 2026
Definition of acknowledgment
Noun
  • For starters, there is one urgent mission the pope must take on the road to atonement.
    — Laura Washington, Mercury News, 9 June 2026
  • But his atonement comes too late.
    — Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 1 June 2026
Definition of atonement
Noun
  • Bryan Sullivan, a lawyer for Jonasi, called the decision a vindication of his client’s right to free speech.
    — Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 11 July 2026
  • Those in Norway see that as vindication of their coaching methods, where the best youngsters, like Haaland and Odegaard, have graduated through the National Team School.
    — Philip Buckingham, New York Times, 10 July 2026
Definition of vindication
Noun
  • Baldwin got one at-bat, a one-out showdown with the Royals’ Michael Wacha in third inning.
    — Chad Bishop, AJC.com, 15 July 2026
  • Red Schoendienst tried to steal a run for the NL after Stone was summoned in the eighth inning, but the pitcher’s throw to the plate nailed the runner for the third out.
    — Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 13 July 2026
Definition of out
Noun
  • Senra found a small budget spread across 35 different shows with no coherent rationale for any of them.
    — Lily Mae Lazarus, Fortune, 5 July 2026
  • In the majority opinion, Chief Justice John Roberts explained the constitutional rationale behind the decision.
    — Carlos De Loera, Los Angeles Times, 3 July 2026
Definition of rationale
Noun
  • One rationalization turned into a system of secrecy.
    — Mary Crossan, Forbes.com, 23 June 2026
  • None of this makes any sense, except as desperate rationalizations from a man who cannot face facts and admit defeat.
    — Tom Nichols, The Atlantic, 16 June 2026
Definition of rationalization
Noun
  • Democratic leadership cited the ongoing war on Iran as the primary justification for delaying the bill’s progress.
    — Julia Gledhill, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026
  • The core issue now is control of the Strait of Hormuz, which wasn’t even part of the original justification for war.
    — Robin Wright, New Yorker, 17 July 2026
Definition of justification

Browse Nearby Words

extenuating
extenuation
extenuations
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Cite this Entry

“Extenuation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/extenuation. Accessed 18 Jul. 2026.

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