extenuate

C2 Topic:Ethics & Social Judgment

US /ɪkˈstɛnjəˌweɪt/ UK /ɪkˈstɛnjʊeɪt/ See IPA manual

Freq #126203

Meanings

1

verb
formal: to lessen or try to lessen the seriousness of a fault or offense by offering a partial excuse or mitigating circumstance

The apology may extenuate the offense, but it does not erase the harm.
2

verb
formal: to reduce the force, extent, or effect of something

The passage of time did little to extenuate the bitterness of the dispute.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · formal: to lessen or try to... mitigate palliate excuse justify

2 verb · formal: to reduce the... weaken diminish attenuate

Opposites

aggravate worsen intensify condemn

Word family

Forms extenuatedextenuatingextenuation

Derived forms extenuationextenuatingextenuativeextenuatorextenuatory

Related forms attenuate mitigation palliation excuse tenuous

Etymology

From Latin extenuare, 'make thin, diminish, or weaken,' from ex- ('out, thoroughly') + tenuis ('thin'). English first used the word for making something slight or less substantial; its chief modern sense applies that reduction metaphorically to the seriousness of a fault or offense.

Topics

Ethics & Social Judgment

External links

# extenuate

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /ɪkˈstɛnjəˌweɪt/
**IPA (UK):** /ɪkˈstɛnjʊeɪt/
**Frequency rank:** 126203

## Meanings
1. formal: to lessen or try to lessen the seriousness of a fault or offense by offering a partial excuse or mitigating circumstance
2. formal: to reduce the force, extent, or effect of something

## Examples
- The apology may extenuate the offense, but it does not erase the harm.
- The passage of time did little to extenuate the bitterness of the dispute.

## Synonyms
- mitigate
- palliate
- excuse
- justify
- weaken
- diminish
- attenuate

## Antonyms
- aggravate
- worsen
- intensify
- condemn

## Derived Forms
- extenuation
- extenuating
- extenuative
- extenuator
- extenuatory

## Related Forms
- attenuate
- mitigation
- palliation
- excuse
- tenuous

## Etymology
From Latin extenuare, 'make thin, diminish, or weaken,' from ex- ('out, thoroughly') + tenuis ('thin'). English first used the word for making something slight or less substantial; its chief modern sense applies that reduction metaphorically to the seriousness of a fault or offense.

## Topics
- Ethics & Social Judgment

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