You searched for: “extenuates
extenuate (verb), extenuates; extenuated; extenuating
1. To make a mistake or wrongdoing seem less serious than it first appeared to be: To extenuate something by representing it as being less blameworthy or to make excuses for doing it.
2. To cause something; such as, a fault, offense, etc. to be less significant: Henry was not fined by the police for speeding because he had to get to the hospital as quickly as possible; so, his action extenuated or justified the reason for his driving so fast. 

Extenuate should be used about a situation that is minimized, not that of the person.

3. Etymology: from Latin extenuat-, past participle stem of extenuare, "to lessen" from ex-, "out" + tenuare, "to make thin, to diminish, to lessen"; from tenuis, "thin".
To make less blamable.
© ALL rights are reserved.

To seem less severe.
© ALL rights are reserved.

Go to this Word A Day Revisited Index
so you can see more of Mickey Bach's cartoons.