Synonyms/Hypernyms (Ordered by Estimated Frequency) of noun excuse

3 senses of excuse

Sense 1
excuse, alibi, exculpation, self-justification -- (a defense of some offensive behavior or some failure to keep a promise etc.; "he kept finding excuses to stay"; "every day he had a new alibi for not getting a job"; "his transparent self-justification was unacceptable")
       => defense, defence, vindication -- (the justification for some act or belief; "he offered a persuasive defense of the theory")

Sense 2
excuse -- (a note explaining an absence; "he had to get his mother to write an excuse for him")
       => note, short letter, line, billet -- (a short personal letter; "drop me a line when you get there")

Sense 3
apology, excuse -- (a poor example; "it was an apology for a meal"; "a poor excuse for an automobile")
       => example, illustration, instance, representative -- (an item of information that is typical of a class or group; "this patient provides a typical example of the syndrome"; "there is an example on page 10")

Synonyms/Hypernyms (Ordered by Estimated Frequency) of verb excuse

6 senses of excuse

Sense 1
excuse, pardon -- (accept an excuse for; "Please excuse my dirty hands")
       => forgive -- (stop blaming or grant forgiveness; "I forgave him his infidelity"; "She cannot forgive him for forgetting her birthday")

Sense 2
excuse, relieve, let off, exempt -- (grant exemption or release to; "Please excuse me from this class")
       => absolve, justify, free -- (let off the hook; "I absolve you from this responsibility")

Sense 3
excuse, explain -- (serve as a reason or cause or justification of; "Your need to sleep late does not excuse your late arrival at work"; "Her recent divorce may explain her reluctance to date again")
       => justify, vindicate -- (show to be right by providing justification or proof; "vindicate a claim")

Sense 4
apologize, apologise, excuse, justify, rationalize, rationalise -- (defend, explain, clear away, or make excuses for by reasoning; "rationalize the child's seemingly crazy behavior"; "he rationalized his lack of success")
       => defend, support, fend for -- (argue or speak in defense of; "She supported the motion to strike")

Sense 5
excuse, beg off -- (ask for permission to be released from an engagement)
       => request, bespeak, call for, quest -- (express the need or desire for; ask for; "She requested an extra bed in her room"; "She called for room service")

Sense 6
excuse, condone -- (excuse, overlook, or make allowances for; be lenient with; "excuse someone's behavior"; "She condoned her husband's occasional infidelities")
       => forgive -- (stop blaming or grant forgiveness; "I forgave him his infidelity"; "She cannot forgive him for forgetting her birthday")