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

1 sense of extenuate

Sense 1
extenuate, palliate, mitigate -- (lessen or to try to lessen the seriousness or extent of; "The circumstances extenuate the crime")
       => 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")