extenuate

Nothing can extenuate the horror of acts he spent his adult life trying to avoid.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 10, 2022

In my initial salvo, I pointed out that Yglesias had minimized the harm of copyright infringement with a rationale that could extenuate theft of any kind.

From Slate ● Feb. 2, 2012

Exceptionalism can be a dangerous faith because of how much it can extenuate and excuse.

From Time ● Feb. 4, 2010

In New York the instinct to "Garland" the monstrous -- to extenuate brutality and make a victim of the victimizer -- is more attenuated than in the Ivy League.

From Time Magazine Archive

"The world hath taught me much: I can understand; I can extenuate greater errors—I have done so; believe me, it is only for thy sake—" "But canst thou wholly acquit me—wholly justify me, Marsyas?"

From Saul of Tarsus A Tale of the Early Christians by Elizabeth Miller

“Prince is painfully removed from the youth culture in which he’s participating, which only extenuates the project’s problems,” it stated.

From The Guardian ● Jul. 18, 2015

It extenuates some things, maybe; but it sets down naught in malice.

From History of Kershaw's Brigade by D. Augustus Dickert

The Spaniard weaves no glamour about facts, apologises for nothing, extenuates nothing.

From The Spanish Jade by William Henry Hyde

Thus to persist In doing wrong extenuates not wrong, But makes it much more heavy.

From Troilus and Cressida by William Shakespeare

Perhaps one of the reasons for this ignorance is that Scotland Yard never defends itself, never explains, never extenuates.

From Scotland Yard The methods and organisation of the Metropolitan Police by George Dilnot

Hooker’s problems have been particularly extenuated and traumatic, especially for a vaulter who had the skill and composure to set an Olympic record of 19-6½ at the 2008 Beijing Games.

From New York Times ● Aug. 8, 2012

This, unquestionably, must at first sight appear to be fatal to the theory of his complicity, and the importance of such a fact should not be extenuated.

From What was the Gunpowder Plot? The Traditional Story Tested by Original Evidence by John Gerard

Despite her brother's harshness, Rose, with devoted sisterly affection, extenuated Harold's conduct, and it was very beautiful to witness her womanly tenderness and forbearance.

From Harper's New Monthly Magazine, No. 22, March, 1852, Volume 4. by

This news extenuated the Earl's guilt in her eyes to a degree which permitted a slight emotion resembling pity to pervade her.

From The Streets of Ascalon Episodes in the Unfinished Career of Richard Quarren, Esqre. by Robert W. (Robert William) Chambers

"I stand pledged to show my countrymen that I have nothing extenuated in speaking of Irish beauty;—nay, Helen, it is my last time, forgive it."

From The Knight Of Gwynne, Vol. I (of II) by Charles James Lever

The animal welfare charity said the numbers and living conditions of the dogs, discovered at an undisclosed location in the UK, "had rapidly grown out of control amid extenuating family circumstances".

From BBC ● Apr. 8, 2026

There were extenuating circumstances, however, such as the COVID-19 pandemic that forced the Whitecaps to split one season between sequesters in Canada and Portland, Ore., then start the next season quarantined in Utah.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 15, 2025

“The bottom line is: If consumers have jobs, barring extenuating circumstances, they will continue to spend money and pay their bills.”

From MarketWatch ● Dec. 11, 2025

“The one thing I can tell you is that everyone that’s ever worked for me has always gotten paid. Obviously, the circumstances here are a little extenuating, but yes, everybody will be paid eventually.”

From Slate ● Apr. 18, 2024

He wanted to plead his friend’s case, explain the extenuating circumstances.

From "Newjack: Guarding Sing Sing" by Ted Conover