as in justification
an explanation that frees one from fault or blame
"a really important business call" is no excuse for not paying proper attention to one's driving
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
1
as in to ignore
to dismiss as of little importance
more often than not, voters are willing to excuse a candidate's youthful indiscretion
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to justify
to be an acceptable reason for
having a female passenger in labor will generally excuse a little disregard for the speed limit
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in to explain
to make (something) seem less bad by offering excuses
he's always excusing his chronic lying by claiming that everybody lies
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of excuse
Jessica Moore, USA Today, 13 May 2026
There’s no excuse for a lot of Kyle’s behavior, but he’s palpably hurt.
—Brian Moylan, Vulture, 13 May 2026
Grace Zokovitch, Boston Herald, 13 May 2026
Borrowers who signed up for SAVE have been excused from making payments since the summer of 2024.
—Annie Nova, CNBC, 12 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for excuse
Noun
If your pet's shedding seems endless this spring, Amazon's Pet Days sale is the perfect excuse to upgrade your furry friend's grooming routine.
—Jessica Moore, USA Today, 13 May 2026
There’s no excuse for a lot of Kyle’s behavior, but he’s palpably hurt.
—Brian Moylan, Vulture, 13 May 2026
Verb
The Appeals Court affirmed his convictions Tuesday and denied his motion for a new trial, overruling claims that there were issues with the judge not excusing a juror for cause and the defense counsel was ineffective.
—Grace Zokovitch, Boston Herald, 13 May 2026
Borrowers who signed up for SAVE have been excused from making payments since the summer of 2024.
—Annie Nova, CNBC, 12 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for excuse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for excuse
Noun
-
But Brandt’s justification for why the game should be played in Denver — which was parroted by Broncos fans — wasn’t rooted in reality.—
Pete Grathoff,
Kansas City Star,
13 May 2026
-
Rebellion ‘is a good thing’ The Trumplicans’ justification for their One Big Beautiful Bill was that tariffs would offset any lost tax revenue.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
13 May 2026
Verb
-
Washington continued to ignore them in the recent campaign.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
20 May 2026
-
Even the wokest of the wokes are ignoring poor Megan.—
Joe Kinsey OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
19 May 2026
Verb
-
In recent years, even some advocates of free trade have come around to the idea that certain tariffs can be justified on strategic and national-security grounds, especially when working with an avowedly mercantilist country like China.—
John Cassidy,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
-
Those benefits justified a rule holding employers responsible when hybrid workers cause others injury while moving between their home and office.—
Dan Eaton,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
18 May 2026
Verb
-
Vrabel, meanwhile, stumbled though multiple press conferences while trying to both avoid and explain the issue without ever really providing details.—
Armando Salguero OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
15 May 2026
-
This may explain why credit markets barely budged after last week’s spending figures.—
Alaa Shahine Salha,
semafor.com,
14 May 2026
Noun
-
For this reason, the tent was constructed in such a way that the crowd could see and hear the girls, but the girls could not see the crowd, a one-way mirror.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
20 May 2026
-
Food and drink The food and beverages are reason alone to come here.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
20 May 2026
Verb
-
In the 95th minute of what was effectively a dead rubber for Leeds, their striker might be forgiven for switching off or going through the motions.—
Beren Cross,
New York Times,
17 May 2026
-
Pool service can be a bit slow during busy times, but once your perfectly prepared daiquiri arrives, all is forgiven.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
16 May 2026
Verb
-
For a family or small-group getaway, the airy luxury villa boasts two king-size bedrooms, a sofa bed in the living room, and an outdoor deck with a jacuzzi overlooking the lagoon.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
18 May 2026
-
This naïve view tended to overlook the searing violence of the ‘Cold’ War, and the ever-increasing inequality between nations.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 May 2026
Verb
-
But President Joe Biden later pardoned him in 2023, and he was returned to Venezuela as part of a prisoner swap with Maduro's government.—
Sarah N. Lynch,
CBS News,
19 May 2026
-
For example, the president has pardoned or granted clemency to at least three nursing home operators convicted of tax or Medicare fraud.—
Howard Gleckman,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Excuse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/excuse. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
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