extenuate

extenuate

verb absolve, acquit, allow for, attemper, attenuate, clear, condone, debilitate, deprive of strength, diminish, enervate, enfeeble, exculpate, excuse, forgive, justify, lessen, levare, lighten, make allowance for, make excuses for, make less serious, minuere, mitigare, mitigate, moderate, palliate, pardon, qualify, reduce, reduce in strength, soften, temper, thin, vindicate, weaken

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See also: alleviate, attenuate, dilute, diminish, ease, excuse, lessen, moderate, modify, palliate

extenuate

to represent an offence or fault as being less serious than it appears, as by showing mitigating circumstances.