extenuate

Nothing can extenuate the horror of acts he spent his adult life trying to avoid.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 10, 2022

In my initial salvo, I pointed out that Yglesias had minimized the harm of copyright infringement with a rationale that could extenuate theft of any kind.

From Slate ● Feb. 2, 2012

Exceptionalism can be a dangerous faith because of how much it can extenuate and excuse.

From Time ● Feb. 4, 2010

He told them with evident regret that pity for the drugged and passion-crazed chauffeur could not extenuate the crime of murder, nor could repugnance for "Rats'" wife count properly against her at this trial.

From Time Magazine Archive

It is vain sir, to extenuate the matter.

From Sages and Heroes of the American Revolution by L. Carroll Judson

“Prince is painfully removed from the youth culture in which he’s participating, which only extenuates the project’s problems,” it stated.

From The Guardian ● Jul. 18, 2015

Thus to persist In doing wrong, extenuates not wrong, But makes it much more so.

From The works of John Dryden, now first collected in eighteen volumes. Volume 06 by Sir Walter Scott

Now compares   Their different forms; now blends them, now divides,   Enlarges and extenuates by turns;   Opposes, ranges in fantastic bands,   And infinitely varies.

From Poetical Works of Akenside by George Gilfillan

It does not exactly prevent sin; it extenuates instead the painful consequences.

From The Works of Robert Louis Stevenson, Volume XXI by Robert Louis Stevenson

Constitute a sin it may, but consider yourself, Grigory Vassilyevitch, that it only extenuates it, if it does constitute.

From The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoyevsky

Hooker’s problems have been particularly extenuated and traumatic, especially for a vaulter who had the skill and composure to set an Olympic record of 19-6½ at the 2008 Beijing Games.

From New York Times ● Aug. 8, 2012

But this is not so when the crime is deceased and extenuated, and indeed excused in part, because of the reason for which it was committed.

From The Old Yellow Book Source of Robert Browning's The Ring and the Book by Anonymous

He frankly confessed his faults and failings, and extenuated none of his follies.

From Quicksands by Adolph Streckfuss

"I stand pledged to show my countrymen that I have nothing extenuated in speaking of Irish beauty;—nay, Helen, it is my last time, forgive it."

From The Knight Of Gwynne, Vol. I (of II) by Charles James Lever

In reply, I can only say that I have nothing extenuated, and set down nought in malice.

From Ancient Pagan and Modern Christian Symbolism With an Essay on Baal Worship, On The Assyrian Sacred "Grove," And Other by Thomas Inman

Medicare doesn’t cover you for emergency hospital care overseas, except in certain extenuating circumstances where a foreign hospital may be closer than a U.S. one.

From MarketWatch ● Feb. 13, 2026

There were extenuating circumstances, however, such as the COVID-19 pandemic that forced the Whitecaps to split one season between sequesters in Canada and Portland, Ore., then start the next season quarantined in Utah.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 15, 2025

Swansea University students can access a carers passport to help facilitate reasonable adjustments and extenuating circumstances.

From BBC ● Aug. 9, 2025

“The one thing I can tell you is that everyone that’s ever worked for me has always gotten paid. Obviously, the circumstances here are a little extenuating, but yes, everybody will be paid eventually.”

From Slate ● Apr. 18, 2024

“Isn’t it a pity that we didn’t meet under less extenuating circumstances?”

From "Nine Stories" by J. D. Salinger