Trends of
extenuate

View usage for:

extenuate in British English

(ɪkˈstɛnjʊˌeɪt)

verb (transitive)

to represent (an offence, a fault, etc) as being less serious than it appears, as by showing mitigating circumstances

to cause to be or appear less serious; mitigate

to underestimate or make light of

4. archaic

to emaciate or weaken

to dilute or thin out

Derived forms

extenuating (exˈtenuˌating)

adjective

extenuatingly (exˈtenuˌatingly)

adverb

extenuation (exˌtenuˈation)

noun

extenuator (exˈtenuˌator)

noun

extenuatory (exˈtenuatory)

adjective

Word origin

C16: from Latin extenuāre to make thin, from tenuis thin, frail

extenuate in American English

(ɛkˈstɛnjuˌeɪt; ɪkˈstɛnjuˌeɪt)

verb transitiveWord forms: exˈtenuˌated or exˈtenuˌating

1. Archaic

to make thin or lean

2. Rare

to diminish or weaken

to lessen or seem to lessen the seriousness of (an offense, guilt, etc.) by giving excuses or serving as an excuse

extenuating circumstances

4. Archaic

to underrate; underestimate

5. Obsolete

to belittle or disparage

Derived forms

extenuator (exˈtenuˌator)

noun

Word origin

< L extenuatus, pp. of extenuare < ex-, out + tenuare, to make thin < tenuis, thin

Synonyms of 'extenuate'

mitigate, reduce, qualify, excuse

make light of, discount, underestimate, undervalue

More Synonyms of extenuate

1 (verb) in the sense of mitigate

Synonyms

mitigate

ways of mitigating the effects of an explosion

reduce

Consumption is being reduced by 25 per cent.

qualify

I would qualify that by putting it into context.

excuse

Please excuse me for my late arrival.

moderate

They are hoping that she will be persuaded to moderate her views.

weaken

Her opponents believe that her authority has been fatally weakened.

diminish

Federalism is intended to diminish the power of the central state.

temper

He had to learn to temper his enthusiasm.

decrease

The medication is said to decrease the risk of heart attack.

soften

He could not think how to soften the blow of what he had to tell her.

play down

lessen

Keep immunisations up to date to lessen the risk of serious illness.

minimize

You can minimize these problems with sensible planning.

make allowances for

palliate

Certain drugs can palliate the main symptoms.

2 (verb) in the sense of make light of

Synonyms

make light of

discount

underestimate

Never underestimate what you can learn from a group of like-minded people.

undervalue

We must never undervalue freedom.

underrate

He underrated the seriousness of William's head injury.

Additional synonyms

in the sense of decrease

Definition

to make or become less in size, strength, or quantity

The medication is said to decrease the risk of heart attack.

Synonyms

reduce,

cut,

lower,

contract,

depress,

moderate,

weaken,

diminish,

turn down,

slow down,

cut down,

shorten,

dilute,

impair,

lessen,

curtail,

wind down,

abate,

tone down,

truncate,

abridge,

downsize

in the sense of diminish

Definition

to make or become smaller, fewer, or less

Federalism is intended to diminish the power of the central state.

Synonyms

reduce,

cut,

decrease,

lessen,

contract,

lower,

weaken,

curtail,

abate,

retrench,

disempower

in the sense of excuse

Definition

to pardon (a person) or overlook (a fault)

Please excuse me for my late arrival.

Synonyms

forgive,

pardon,

overlook,

tolerate,

indulge,

acquit,

pass over,

turn a blind eye to,

exonerate,

absolve,

bear with,

wink at,

make allowances for,

extenuate,

exculpate

Nearby words of
extenuate

extension
extensive
extent
extenuate
extenuating
exterior
exterminate

Synonyms of 'extenuate'

extenuate

Explore 'extenuate' in the dictionary

单词	extenuate
释义	Trends of extenuate View usage for: extenuate in British English (ɪkˈstɛnjʊˌeɪt) 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. to emaciate or weaken b. to dilute or thin out Derived forms extenuating (exˈtenuˌating) adjective extenuatingly (exˈtenuˌatingly) adverb extenuation (exˌtenuˈation) noun extenuator (exˈtenuˌator) noun extenuatory (exˈtenuatory) adjective Word origin C16: from Latin extenuāre to make thin, from tenuis thin, frail extenuate in American English (ɛkˈstɛnjuˌeɪt; ɪkˈstɛnjuˌeɪt) verb transitiveWord forms: exˈtenuˌated or exˈtenuˌating 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 extenuating circumstances 4. Archaic to underrate; underestimate 5. Obsolete to belittle or disparage Derived forms extenuator (exˈtenuˌator) noun Word origin < L extenuatus, pp. of extenuare < ex-, out + tenuare, to make thin < tenuis, thin Synonyms of 'extenuate' mitigate, reduce, qualify, excuse make light of, discount, underestimate, undervalue More Synonyms of extenuate 1 (verb) in the sense of mitigate Synonyms mitigate ways of mitigating the effects of an explosion reduce Consumption is being reduced by 25 per cent. qualify I would qualify that by putting it into context. excuse Please excuse me for my late arrival. moderate They are hoping that she will be persuaded to moderate her views. weaken Her opponents believe that her authority has been fatally weakened. diminish Federalism is intended to diminish the power of the central state. temper He had to learn to temper his enthusiasm. decrease The medication is said to decrease the risk of heart attack. soften He could not think how to soften the blow of what he had to tell her. play down lessen Keep immunisations up to date to lessen the risk of serious illness. minimize You can minimize these problems with sensible planning. make allowances for palliate Certain drugs can palliate the main symptoms. 2 (verb) in the sense of make light of Synonyms make light of discount underestimate Never underestimate what you can learn from a group of like-minded people. undervalue We must never undervalue freedom. underrate He underrated the seriousness of William's head injury. Additional synonyms in the sense of decrease Definition to make or become less in size, strength, or quantity The medication is said to decrease the risk of heart attack. Synonyms reduce, cut, lower, contract, depress, moderate, weaken, diminish, turn down, slow down, cut down, shorten, dilute, impair, lessen, curtail, wind down, abate, tone down, truncate, abridge, downsize in the sense of diminish Definition to make or become smaller, fewer, or less Federalism is intended to diminish the power of the central state. Synonyms reduce, cut, decrease, lessen, contract, lower, weaken, curtail, abate, retrench, disempower in the sense of excuse Definition to pardon (a person) or overlook (a fault) Please excuse me for my late arrival. Synonyms forgive, pardon, overlook, tolerate, indulge, acquit, pass over, turn a blind eye to, exonerate, absolve, bear with, wink at, make allowances for, extenuate, exculpate Nearby words of extenuate extension extensive extent extenuate extenuating exterior exterminate Synonyms of 'extenuate' extenuate Explore 'extenuate' in the dictionary
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Trends ofextenuate

extenuate in British English

extenuate in American English

Synonyms of 'extenuate'

Additional synonyms

Nearby words ofextenuate

Synonyms of 'extenuate'

extenuate

Trends of
extenuate

Nearby words of
extenuate