extenuate
[verb]
Synonyms: thin, attenuate, wiredraw, palliate, blanch (over), gloss (over), gloze (over), sugarcoat, varnish, veneer, white, whiten, whitewash

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Contrasted words: aggravate, enhance, heighten
Related Idioms: put a gloss on (or upon or over), put a good face upon
Related Words: mitigate, moderate, qualify, temper, explain, justify, rationalize, apologize

[TahlilGaran] English Synonym Dictionary ▲

extenuate /ɪkˈsten.ju.eɪt/
verb [T] FORMAL
to cause a wrong act to be judged less seriously by giving reasons for it:
He was unable to say anything that might have extenuated his behaviour.

extenuating /ɪkˈsten.juː.eɪ.tɪŋ/ US /-ţɪŋ/
adjective [before noun] SLIGHTLY FORMAL
She was found guilty of theft, but because of extenuating circumstances (= a situation which made her crime seem less serious) was not sent to prison.

extenuation /ɪkˌsten.juˈeɪ.ʃ^ən/
noun [U] FORMAL
Her plea of ignorance of the law in extenuation of (= as an excuse for) her crime was not accepted.

[TahlilGaran] Advanced Learner's Dictionary ▲