Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
to extenuate

to extenuate

5 8.8
To make a wrong action seem less serious to others
  • verb
  • /ɪkˈstɛnjuˌeɪt/
  • Formal
translation icon : atenuar
  • If, as the defendants testified, they had run out of water and their crops were dying, extenuating circumstances prompted the trespass.
  • extenuating circumstances

Examples

  • "But I wish to claim extenuating circumstances which will prove me innocent of criminal intent."

    Fiction book (2001)

  • Extenuating circumstances normally would be taken into consideration, but not in this case.

    Fiction book (1994)

  • Due to extenuating circumstances, he may be released later tonight.

    Independence Day (1996)

  • Due to extenuating circumstances, she has not yet been buried.

    Beau Is Afraid (2023)

  • Well, they must have felt the circumstances were extenuating if you got off so lightly.

    Melinda and Melinda (2004)

  • Our only hope is to prove extenuating circumstances or that you were incapable of knowing the nature of the crime.

    Fiction book (1992)

  • In the wake of Hurricane Sandy, New York and New Jersey are dealing with extenuating circumstances that could cause voting problems.

    Blog text (8)

  • The school decided to extenuate her discipline record because of her difficult home situation.

  • The lawyer tried to extenuate his client's actions by explaining the stressful events that led to the incident.

  • To extenuate his mistake, he provided evidence showing he was under significant pressure at the time.

Synonyms

to diminish
vsto extenuate
89 4.7

Make a person or thing seem less important

reduces blame by making a fault appear more forgivable rather than belittling status
to mitigate
vsto extenuate
63 5.8

Make something less harmful or painful

aims to show a fault is more excusable rather than actually reduce harm
to downplay
vsto extenuate
59 5.3

Show something as less important or serious than it is

aims to excuse a fault by showing it as more forgivable
to soften
vsto extenuate
50 3.1

Make something less strong or harsh

tries to make a fault seem more forgivable rather than only gentler
to lessen
vsto extenuate
34 2.8

To make something smaller in amount or strength

focuses on making a fault seem more forgivable instead of merely reducing degree
to trivialize
vsto extenuate
  • US
28 7.0

Make something seem less important or serious

reduces blame to make a fault seem more excusable
to soft-pedal
vsto extenuate
3 7.6

To make a problem or bad news seem less important

makes a fault seem forgivable rather than only less emphasized
to palliate
vsto extenuate
  • Formal
8.8

Make a bad thing or its effects seem less serious without removing the cause

focuses on making a fault seem more forgivable rather than easing effects

Antonyms

to aggravate
73 4.6

Make a problem or health condition worse

to exacerbate
69 8.0

To make a problem or feeling worse

How Mitigating

to mitigate
63 5.8
to extenuate
  • Formal
5 8.8
to excuse
178 2.5
to justify
720 3.4
to explain
∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

extenuate infinitive
extenuated past
extenuated past participle
extenuating present participle
extenuates third person singular

Morphology

extenuate = tenuate (semi-transparent) = ex + tenuate

The verb is formed by the prefix 'ex-' + 'tenuate' meaning 'weaken'; the meaning 'make an offense seem less serious' is a metaphorical extension of 'weaken', so the relation is recognizable but requires knowledge of the less common base verb.

Etymology

The word extenuate comes from Latin parts ex- ('out') and tenu- (from a word meaning 'thin'), so it originally meant 'to make thin'. That's why to extenuate a fault is to make its seriousness seem 'thinner' or smaller, so the action looks less serious or more forgivable.