as in excusing
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"
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of extenuating
During a short court appearance at a branch courthouse in Maywood, prosecutors referenced extenuating circumstances when dropping the misdemeanor cases, according to an attorney for the women, Nick Albukerk.
—
Madeline Buckley, Chicago Tribune, 4 Mar. 2026
Such stretches have previously been eliminated by the NBA, with the exception of extenuating circumstances.
—Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 29 Jan. 2026
Executive producer and star of the film, Danielle Brooks, stuns with her performance as a mother trying to juggle it all and offers an honest portrayal of what happens when extenuating circumstances prevent closeness and warmth within a household.
—Dominique Fluker, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
While extenuating circumstances may arise, such exceptions should be limited and not become the standard approach to funding.
—Alec Johnson, jsonline.com, 26 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for extenuating
Madeline Buckley, Chicago Tribune, 4 Mar. 2026
Such stretches have previously been eliminated by the NBA, with the exception of extenuating circumstances.
—Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 29 Jan. 2026
Executive producer and star of the film, Danielle Brooks, stuns with her performance as a mother trying to juggle it all and offers an honest portrayal of what happens when extenuating circumstances prevent closeness and warmth within a household.
—Dominique Fluker, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
While extenuating circumstances may arise, such exceptions should be limited and not become the standard approach to funding.
—Alec Johnson, jsonline.com, 26 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for extenuating
Recent Examples of Synonyms for extenuating
Verb
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Cherfilus-McCormick has denied wrongdoing, excusing the allegations as an accounting error.—
Lauren Peller,
ABC News,
22 Apr. 2026
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But Australians should maintain confidence in due process, and refrain from jumping to conclusions by either damning Roberts-Smith or excusing him.—
The Week UK,
TheWeek,
19 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Quiet-luxury proponents would often speak of frequency of use and cost per wear in justifying a four-figure black wool sweater.—
Marisa Meltzer,
Vanity Fair,
28 Apr. 2026
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Military technology has become more sophisticated, but the minds justifying its use are stuck in the past.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The species evolved to adapt, with some growing larger and others smaller than their mainland counterparts, explaining the larger size of the island scrub-jay and the small size of the island fox.—
Tribune News Service,
Baltimore Sun,
29 Apr. 2026
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In 2012, Classic Media was bought by DreamWorks Animation, which in turn was acquired by Universal Pictures parent NBCUniversal in 2016, explaining why the potential Disney+ series is a co-production between DreamWorks Animation TV and UCP.—
Nellie Andreeva,
Deadline,
29 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Extenuating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/extenuating. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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