to excuse

Examples

• All

• A minute later, I was back and said, "Excuse me, sir, but are you..."

  Fiction book (1990)

• Please, uh, excuse the mess.

  HIM (2025)

• Would you excuse me just for a moment?

  Thunderbolts* (2025)

• Halfway through it, my father said excuse me and left the room.

  Fiction book (1990)

• - I have business, if you'll excuse me.

  Moonshine County Express (1977)

• Right after the meal, I excused myself and went to my room.

  Fiction book (1990)

• Al asked some of the same questions the manager asked, then excused himself to confer with the manager.

  Academic text (1992)

• Once the participants had received the debriefing statement, they were excused from the testing session.

  Academic text (2004)

• After we finished exchanging greetings, I excused myself and started to undress.

  Fiction book (1990)

• Sir, may I excuse myself from this meeting because I have another appointment?

Synonyms

R

to relieve

vsto excuse

131 3.2

Free someone from a duty or responsibility

permits temporary absence rather than removing the duty itself

L

to let off

vsto excuse

123 3.5

To not punish someone or excuse them from a duty

allows leaving or absence while focusing more on avoiding punishment

E

to exempt

vsto excuse

• Formal

38 4.1

To free someone officially from a rule or obligation

permits absence but does not necessarily cancel the obligation itself

E

to exeat

vsto excuse

• Archaic

9.9

To give formal permission for someone to leave a country or school for a time

is a general allowance to leave or be absent, not only formal

Antonyms

D

to deny

661 1.6

To refuse to let someone have something

F

to forbid

152 2.8

Stop something from happening

Idioms

E

excuse you

• Informal

2 8.8

A sharp way to tell someone you are annoyed by their rude action

A

a thousand one excuse

• Informal

7.5

Many different reasons a person gives to avoid blame

Phrasal Verbs

C

to concoct an excuse

1 6.5

To make up a false reason to avoid blame

Compounds

A

abuse excuse

• NSFW

1 8.4

An attempt to explain bad behavior by saying you were hurt in the past

G

go-to excuse

• Informal

1 4.7

A usual reason someone gives to avoid blame

H

half-baked excuse

• Informal

1 5.1

A weak reason someone gives to avoid blame

G

goddamn excuse

• Offensive

1 9.9

A rude way to say someone's reason is weak and not acceptable

W

wimpy excuse

• Informal

1 7.1

A weak reason someone gives to avoid blame

S

shoddy excuse

1 4.8

A weak, unconvincing reason someone gives for not doing something

B

bullsheet excuse

• Offensive

9.9

A false or silly story people tell to avoid blame

F

fuckwaffle excuse

• Offensive

9.9

A silly made-up reason someone gives to avoid blame

F

fucktillion excuse

• Offensive

9.9

A very large number of weak reasons someone gives to avoid doing something

H

hogshit excuse

• Offensive

9.9

A false story someone gives to avoid blame

T

threadbare excuse

7.0

A weak reason used so often people no longer believe it

W

weasellike excuse

• Informal

9.0

A dishonest reason someone gives to avoid blame

How Permissive

to exempt

• Formal

38 4.1

to dismiss

80 2.7

to excuse

512 1.5

to permit

441 1.5

to allow

∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

Etymology