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

2 senses of extenuation

Sense 1
extenuation, mitigation -- (a partial excuse to mitigate censure; an attempt to represent an offense as less serious than it appears by showing mitigating circumstances)
       => 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")

Sense 2
extenuation, mitigation, palliation -- (to act in such a way as to cause an offense to seem less serious)
       => decrease, diminution, reduction, step-down -- (the act of decreasing or reducing something)