Extenuate
Extenuate verb - To make (something) seem less bad by offering excuses.
Usage example: don't even try to extenuate their vandalism of the cemetery with the old refrain of “Boys will be boys”
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Synonyms for Extenuate
Justify is a synonym for extenuate in activity topic. In some cases you can use "Justify" instead a verb "Extenuate", when it comes to topics like excuse, lessen.
Nearby Words: extenuation, extenuating
Mutual synonyms
Cite this Source
Justify and Extenuate. (2016). Retrieved 2026, July 21, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/extenuate/justify
Extenuate & Justify. N.p., 2016. Web. 21 Jul. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/extenuate/justify>.
Justify or Extenuate. 2016. Accessed July 21, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/extenuate/justify.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "extenuate" and "justify" have occurred on timeline