Excuse Synonyms

78 excuse synonyms include justify, defend, make excuses for, make a case for, explain (away), rationalize, condone, vindicate, warrant, and mitigate. Excuse is a verb, and its antonyms are punish, blame, and hold to. Here are some additional synonyms for "excuse" with example sentences.

Another word for Excuse

78 other ways to say excuse.

1. defend

  • wink at  
  •  
  • warrant  
  •  
  • vindicate  
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  • turn a deaf ear to  
  •  
  • turn a blind eye to  
  •  
  • tolerate  
  •  
  • sanction  
  •  
  • rationalize  
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  • pass over  
  •  
  • palliate  
  •  
  • overlook
  •   
  • mitigate  
  •  
  • make excuses for  
  •  
  • make a case for  
  •  
  • justify  
  •  
  • indulge  
  •  
  • ignore
  •   
  • forgive  
  •  
  • extenuate  
  •  
  • explain (away)  
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  • disregard  
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  • defend  
  •  
  • condone  
  •  
  • blink at  
  •  
  • apologize for  
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2. absolve

  • pardon  
  •  
  • make allowances for  
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  • let someone off (the hook)  
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  • forgive  
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  • exonerate  
  •  
  • exculpate  
  •  
  • acquit
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  • absolve
  •   

3. relieve

  • spare  
  •  
  • relieve  
  •  
  • release  
  •  
  • liberate  
  •  
  • let off  
  •  
  • free
  •   
  • exempt  
  •  
  • dispense  
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  • absolve
  •   

4. defence

  • vindication  
  •  
  • reason  
  •  
  • plea  
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  • palliation  
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  • mitigation  
  •  
  • mitigating circumstances  
  •  
  • justification  
  •  
  • grounds  
  •  
  • extenuation  
  •  
  • explanation
  •   
  • defence  
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  • cause
  •   
  • call  
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  • basis
  •   
  • argument
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  • apology  
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  • apologia  
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5. pretence

  • story
  •   
  • pretext  
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  • pretence  
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  • ostensible reason  
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  • line  
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  • get-out  
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  • front  
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  • fabrication  
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  • evasion  
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  • cover-up  
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  • cop-out  
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  • alibi  
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6. mockery of

  • travesty of  
  •  
  • poor specimen of  
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  • poor imitation of  
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  • pitiful example of  
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  • pale shadow of  
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  • mockery of  
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  • apology for  
  •  

Use excuse in a Sentence

His excuse sounds completely ridiculous.

I forgot—there’s no excuse for that.

Please excuse me for interrupting.

She gave a blatant excuse for being late.

They had a legitimate excuse for arriving late.