Defence and Excuse

Similar meaning words

Defence noun - The act of defending someone or something against attack or injury.

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Excuse is a synonym for defence in apology topic. In some cases you can use "Excuse" instead a noun "Defence", when it comes to topics like argument, reason, pretext, vindication.

Excuse noun - A defense of some offensive behavior or some failure to keep a promise etc..

Usage example: he kept finding excuses to stay

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Defence is a synonym for excuse in justification topic. You can use "Defence" instead a noun "Excuse", if it concerns topics such as reason, pretext, apology.

Nearby Words: excusing, excused, excusable

good	good defence	good excuse
best	best defence	best excuse
better	better defence	better excuse
perfect	perfect defence	perfect excuse
Other adjectives: standard, legal, stupid, poor, strong, actual, real, terrible, excellent, main, new, major, possible, last.

For example, the necessity defence/excuse cannot be invoked in cases like poor people stealing food because they have other options available (job switch, social security, welfare, food banks) and in most cases, are not in imminent mortal danger from severe starvation.

Source: I Did What I Had to Do
Police officers go vigilante on her and try to frame her so they can have an excuse to kill her in "self defence." Freudian Excuse: Lana's descent into alcoholism and abusive behaviour seems to have been caused by her husband leaving her and her siren genetics.

Source: Literature / Blood Singer Series
Forgetting, of course, that Kieran is an orange-belt in karate who's been itching for an excuse to use his skills in "self-defence".Ruth: I can't believe you would hit a defenceless child!

Source: Radio / Cabin Pressure

Cite this Source

Excuse and Defence. (2016). Retrieved 2026, July 21, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/defence/excuse

Defence & Excuse. N.p., 2016. Web. 21 Jul. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/defence/excuse>.

Excuse or Defence. 2016. Accessed July 21, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/defence/excuse.

Google Ngram Viewer shows how "defence" and "excuse" have occurred on timeline