Thesaurus results for EXTENUATES

extenuates

verb

present tense third-person singular of extenuate

as in justifies

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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Recent Examples of Synonyms for extenuates

Verb

Building a new jail, the suit claims, doesn’t meet the legal test that justifies extended after-hours work, which are allowed only on (among other things) projects that are in the interest of public health and safety.

— Curbed, Curbed, 21 Oct. 2026
Luxury fashion — an industry that justifies its price tag through the promise of human craftsmanship — has enjoyed nodding to robots, and in particular fem-bots, for decades.

— Leah Dolan, CNN Money, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of justifies

Verb

So much so that the Texas head football coach excuses its 80th national ranking in offense.

— Kirk Bohls, Houston Chronicle, 16 Oct. 2026
Created in 2007, PSLF excuses the federal student debt of government and nonprofit workers after 120 qualifying monthly payments.

— Jessica Dickler,Annie Nova, CNBC, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of excuses

Verb

Chenault explains how leaders can establish clear priorities when the stakes are high, encourage employees to speak up about problems, and challenge the status quo.

— Harvard Business Review, Harvard Business Review, 27 Oct. 2026
This explains why my breakdown happened during perimenopause along with the unfortunate timing of a lactose intolerance diagnosis (bye-bye, calcium-rich dairy).

— Cheryl Fenton, Flow Space, 27 Oct. 2026

Definition of explains

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.

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extenuated

extenuates

extenuating

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“Extenuates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/extenuates. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of extenuates

verb

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