as in to excuse
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 extenuate
Verb
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But don’t excuse Montgomery Steppe or Aguirre.—
U T Editorial Board,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
24 Apr. 2026 -
Cherfilus-McCormick has denied wrongdoing, excusing the allegations as an accounting error.—
Lauren Peller,
ABC News,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
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So far, that skepticism has appeared justified.—
Dan Santaromita,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
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This seeming deference to executive interests is particularly difficult to justify in an administration willing to flout court orders.—
Gregg Nunziata,
The Atlantic,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Besides the driver, an amiable man who was happy to explain how the shredder worked, only a few nervous schoolchildren stood around, supervised by a woman with a badge that identified her as an envoy of the library.—
Mary Norris,
New Yorker,
1 May 2026
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The bulletin examined nutrition in common foods (especially meat, bread, and milk), explained how the body uses food as fuel, outlined dietary standards, and considered the economy of food, food waste, and connections between food and health.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Radiation can also be used to palliate painful bone metastases, as well as chemotherapy.—
Lauryn Higgins,
Flow Space,
1 Oct. 2024
-
Senior-home avatars who are designed to palliate dementia patients in their darkest days.—
Longreads,
Longreads,
12 Apr. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Extenuate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/extenuate. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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