Extenuate

[ɪk'stenjʊeɪt;ek-] or [ɪk'stɛnjʊet]

Definition

(verb.) lessen or to try to lessen the seriousness or extent of; 'The circumstances extenuate the crime'.

Editor: Maynard--From WordNet

Definition

(v. t.) To make thin or slender; to draw out so as to lessen the thickness.

(v. t.) To lessen; to palliate; to lessen or weaken the force of; to diminish the conception of, as crime, guilt, faults, ills, accusations, etc.; -- opposed to aggravate.

(v. t.) To lower or degrade; to detract from.

(v. i.) To become thinner; to make excuses; to advance palliating considerations.

(a.) Thin; slender.

Editor: Orville

Synonyms and Synonymous

v. a. [1]. Lessen, diminish, reduce in size or bulk.[2]. Palliate, mitigate, qualify, excuse, apologize for.

Typist: Sonia

Synonyms and Antonyms

SYN:Mitigate, qualify, palliate

ANT:Aggravate, heighten, enhance

Checked by Gregory

Definition

v.t. to lessen: to underrate: to weaken the force of: to palliate.—p.adj. Exten′uating palliating.—adv. Exten′uatingly.—n. Extenuā′tion act of representing anything as less wrong or criminal than it is: palliation: mitigation.—adjs. Exten′uative Exten′uatory tending to extenuate: palliative.—n. Exten′uator.

Edited by Bridget