Synonyms of excuses

excuses 1 of 2

noun

plural of excuse

as in justifications

an explanation that frees one from fault or blame

"a really important business call" is no excuse for not paying proper attention to one's driving

Synonyms & Similar Words

• justifications
• reasons
• apologies
• alibis
• pleas
• defenses
• pretexts
• rationalizations
• rationales
• outs
• pretenses
• cop-outs
• confessions
• vindications
• colors
• acknowledgments
• guises
• atonements
• whitewashes
• extenuations
• palliations

excuses

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of excuse

1

as in ignores

to dismiss as of little importance

more often than not, voters are willing to excuse a candidate's youthful indiscretion

Synonyms & Similar Words

• ignores
• forgives
• justifies
• pardons
• explains
• overlooks
• discounts
• forgives and forgets
• disregards
• papers over
• shrugs off
• passes over
• whitewashes
• condones
• brushes (aside or off)
• remits
• blinks (at)
• overpasses
• glosses (over)
• winks (at)
• rationalizes
• exculpates
• glozes (over)
• exonerates
• absolves
• closes one's eyes to
• waves (aside or off)
• vindicates
• acquits
• waives
• clears

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• minds
• notes
• objects (to)
• marks
• heeds

2

as in justifies

to be an acceptable reason for

having a female passenger in labor will generally excuse a little disregard for the speed limit

Synonyms & Similar Words

• justifies
• explains
• alibis
• accounts (for)
• rationalizes
• ignores
• explains away
• condones
• brushes (aside or off)
• forgives
• pardons
• passes over
• winks (at)
• shrugs off
• glosses (over)
• disregards
• remits
• glozes (over)

3

as in explains

to make (something) seem less bad by offering excuses

he's always excusing his chronic lying by claiming that everybody lies

Synonyms & Similar Words

• justifies
• explains
• extenuates
• explains away
• palliates
• glosses (over)
• whitewashes
• apologizes
• deodorizes
• accounts (for)
• confesses
• rationalizes
• minimizes
• glozes (over)
• varnishes
• atones
• sugarcoats
• exculpates
• plays down
• moderates
• exonerates
• alleviates
• absolves
• mitigates
• tempers
• vindicates
• soft-pedals
• lessens
• softens
• eases
• acquits
• lightens
• clears

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of excuses

Noun

The rules, which are never explained, are put there as flimsy excuses for aspects of the pilot that don’t hold together otherwise. — Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 8 Oct. 2026

Only to see them, after winning elections, get strong-armed by the party, then offer lame excuses as to why. — Colleen Kujawa, Chicago Tribune, 2 Oct. 2026

Now, none of this excuses what Cathy does to poor, sweet, trusting Faye, whom Martha Plimpton plays with a chummy maternal quality that makes her grotesque demise that much more upsetting. — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 1 Oct. 2026

But the status quo clearly isn't working, and with the resources poured into the program ahead of 2026, Riley has few excuses left. — Ian Miller Outkick, FOXNews.com, 29 Sep. 2026

Catch and eliminate personal excuses, justifications, or peer comparisons. — Brendan Keegan, Forbes.com, 23 Sep. 2026

But voters should not reward candidates who hide behind weak excuses when avoiding debates and other unscripted events. — Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 23 Sep. 2026

Arteta and Arsenal had no need for excuses this time around, though, with Martin Odegaard scoring a late winner after a convincing team performance at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona. — Art De Roché, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026

That’s not to make excuses, but to put in context, what is also a sputtering, screwball-y film about masculine roles in a waning patriarchal society. — Beatrice Loayza, Variety, 11 Sep. 2026

Verb

None of that excuses his behavior, but a change of brain function, rather than a change of heart, is something his constituents need to consider. — Michael P.h. Stanley, STAT, 10 Sep. 2026

Any person who celebrates, encourages, or excuses actions like these is fundamentally wrong. — Jesse Zanger, CBS News, 14 Aug. 2026

For me, the larger question is not whether artistic behavior excuses transgression, but how to hold artistic achievement and ethical accountability together without allowing one to erase the other. — Andy Battaglia, ARTnews.com, 3 Aug. 2026

Instead, some attack our business's fees, as though changing the subject somehow excuses copying another company's intellectual property. — Brian Taylor, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026

Because her beauty excuses all. — Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 1 June 2026

The Justice Department says Bondi’s ouster excuses her from having to appear. — NBC news, 12 Apr. 2026

Continue reading … MEDIA HALL PASS — Nashville public school excuses Muslim students for daily prayer time during Ramadan. — FOXNews.com, 9 Apr. 2026

And while absolutely none of that excuses my actions, that's what happened. — Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 3 Apr. 2026