Meaning & use
extenuating
Making an offense or failure seem less serious by providing a partial explanation or excuse.
See it in a sentence
The judge showed leniency because of the extenuating circumstances surrounding the case.
She missed the deadline, but extenuating family emergencies made the delay understandable.
A note on using this word
"Extenuating" almost always appears in the fixed phrase "extenuating circumstances," especially in legal writing.
Words with a similar meaning
mitigatingjustifying
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Words with an opposite meaning
aggravating
Make it your own
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