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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The way the righthander has been closing games for the Rays, one can be excused for thinking Baker walks on water.—
Tom Layberger,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2026 -
Without excusing her actions, Harron’s film explores Solanis’ place as a misfit even within the outsider world of the 1960s NYC underground art scene.—
Mark Olsen,
Los Angeles Times,
12 June 2026
Verb
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In my view, a push by Metcalf does not justify a deadly response unless the push was an attempt to push someone off a subway platform.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
15 June 2026
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SpaceX lost nearly $5 billion in 2025 and the blockbuster IPO has sparked debate over whether the company's huge valuation is justified.—
Arjun Kharpal,
CNBC,
15 June 2026
Verb
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Thune has repeatedly explained that the bill, which Democrats and a handful of Republicans oppose, does not have the votes to pass in the Senate.—
Kaia Hubbard,
CBS News,
18 June 2026
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The Logan star also explains how the strenuousness of the fight scenes doubled as an artistic choice.—
Wesley Stenzel,
Entertainment Weekly,
18 June 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
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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 20 Jun. 2026.
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