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
Vindicate and extenuate are semantically related. In some cases you can use "Vindicate" instead a verb "Extenuate".
Nearby Words: extenuation, extenuating
Mutual synonyms
Related pairs
Cite this Source
Vindicate and Extenuate. (2016). Retrieved 2026, August 15, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/extenuate/vindicate
Extenuate & Vindicate. N.p., 2016. Web. 15 Aug. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/extenuate/vindicate>.
Vindicate or Extenuate. 2016. Accessed August 15, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/extenuate/vindicate.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "extenuate" and "vindicate" have occurred on timeline