| Main Entry: | |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | show support for |
| Synonyms: | advocate, aid, apologize for, argue, assert, back, back up, bear one out, befriend, champion, come to defense of, cover for, endorse, espouse, exculpate, exonerate, explain, go to bat for, guarantee, justify, maintain, plead, prove a case, put in a good word, rationalize, recommend, ride shotgun for, say in defense, second, speak up for, stand by, stand up for, stick up for, stonewall, support, sustain, thump for, uphold, vindicate, warrant |
| Antonyms: | deny, forsake, renounce |
| Main Entry: | justify |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | legitimize, substantiate |
| Synonyms: | absolve, acquit, advocate, alibi, answer for, apologize for, approve, argue for, assert, be answerable for, bear out, brief, claim, clear, condone, confirm, contend, cop a plea, countenance, crawl, defend, do justice to, establish, exculpate, excuse, exonerate, explain, favor, legalize, maintain, make allowances, make good, palliate, pardon, plead, rationalize, rebut, show cause, speak in favor, square, stand up for, support, sustain, uphold, validate, verify, vindicate, warrant |
| Main Entry: | palliate |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | gloss over; cover up |
| Synonyms: | abate, allay, alleviate, apologize for, assuage, camouflage, cloak, conceal, condone, cover, diminish, disguise, dissemble, ease, exculpate, excuse, extenuate, gloze, hide, hush up, justify, lessen, lighten, make light of, mask, minimize, mitigate, moderate, mollify, prettify, put on a Band-Aid, qualify, quick fix, relieve, screen, soften, soothe, sugarcoat, temper, varnish, veil, veneer, vindicate, white, whiten, whitewash |
| Antonyms: | accuse, blame, condemn |