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- Dictionaryextenuate/ɪkˈstɛnjʊeɪt/
verb
- 1. cause (an offence) to seem less serious: "even the fact that you once helped to save my life could not extenuate your offence"
- 2. make (someone) thin: literary "his whole frame was extenuated by hunger and fatigue"
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The meaning of EXTENUATE is to lessen or to try to lessen the seriousness or extent of (something, such as a fault or offense) by making partial excuses : mitigate. How to use extenuate in a sentence.
EXTENUATE definition: 1. to cause a wrong act to be judged less seriously by giving reasons for it: 2. to cause a wrong…. Learn more.
EXTENUATE meaning: 1. to cause a wrong act to be judged less seriously by giving reasons for it: 2. to cause a wrong…. Learn more.
Extenuate definition: to represent (a fault, offense, etc.) as less serious. See examples of EXTENUATE used in a sentence.
To extenuate is to make less of something or try to minimize its importance. The fact that you walked your little sister to school because she missed the bus might extenuate your teacher's response when you show up late.
1. To lessen or appear to lessen the seriousness or extent of (an offense, for example), especially by providing partial excuses: extenuated his crime as part of his testimony. 2. Archaic. a. To make thin or emaciated. b. To mitigate or lessen. c. To belittle; disparage.
verb (transitive) 1. to represent (an offence, a fault, etc) as being less serious than it appears, as by showing mitigating circumstances. 2. to cause to be or appear less serious; mitigate. 3. to underestimate or make light of. 4. archaic. a.
Definitions of 'extenuate' 1. Archaic. to make thin or lean. [...] 2. Rare. to diminish or weaken. [...] 3. to lessen or seem to lessen the seriousness of (an offense, guilt, etc.) by giving excuses or serving as an excuse. [...] More. Conjugations of 'extenuate' present simple: I extenuate, you extenuate [...]
The meaning of EXTENUATING is tending to lessen the real or apparent seriousness of something (such as a crime, offense, or fault) : providing a partial justification or excuse for something —usually used in the phrase extenuating circumstances. How to use extenuating in a sentence.
You'll be furious that your friend didn't bake the cupcakes she promised for your bake sale — until you learn the extenuating circumstances: her dog climbed onto her kitchen counter and ate all the cupcake batter. Extenuating means "making forgivable."
