| Main Entry: | extenuate |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | lessen, mitigate |
Synonyms: |
decrease, diminish, downplay, excuse, justify, make allowances, minimize, moderate, palliate, qualify, reduce, soften |
| Main Entry: | attenuate |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | weaken |
Synonyms: |
abate, constrict, contract, cripple, debilitate, deflate, disable, dissipate, enfeeble, extenuate, lessen, mitigate, sap, shrink, thin, undermine, vitiate |
Antonyms: |
expand, increase, intensify, strengthen |
| Main Entry: | debilitate |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | incapacitate |
Synonyms: |
attenuate, blunt, cripple, devitalize, disable, enervate, enfeeble, eviscerate, exhaust, extenuate, harm, hurt, injure, mar, prostrate, relax, sap, spoil, unbrace, undermine, unstrengthen, weaken, wear out |
Antonyms: |
aid, assist, cure, energize, help, invigorate, mend, strengthen |
| Main Entry: | diminish |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | become or cause to be less |
Synonyms: |
abate, abbreviate, attenuate, become smaller, close, contract, curtail, cut, decline, decrease, depreciate, die out, drain, dwindle, ebb, extenuate, fade away, lessen, lower, minify, moderate, peter out, recede, reduce, retrench, shrink, shrivel, slacken, subside, taper, temper, wane, weaken |
Antonyms: |
develop, enlarge, expand, extend, grow, increase, lengthen, prolong |
| Main Entry: | excuse |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | forgive, absolve; justify |
Synonyms: |
acquit, alibi, apologize for, appease, bear with, clear, condone, cover, defend, discharge, dispense from, exculpate, exempt, exempt from, exonerate, explain, extenuate, forgive, free, give absolution, grant amnesty, indulge, let go, let off, liberate, make allowances for, mitigate, overlook, pardon, pass over, plead ignorance, pretext, purge, rationalize, release, relieve, remit, reprieve, shrive, shrug off, spare, take rap for, tolerate, vindicate, whitewash, wink at |
| Notes: | an alias is an assumed name, an alibi is a form of defense whereby a defendant attempts to prove that he or she was elsewhere when the crime in question was committed, while an excuse is an explanation offered to justify or obtain forgiveness a pardon is the act of excusing a mistake or offense; an excuse is an explanation offered to justify or obtain forgiveness |
| Main Entry: | forgive |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | stop blame and grant pardon |
Synonyms: |
absolve, accept apology, acquit, allow for, amnesty, bear no malice, bear with, bury the hatchet, clear, commute, condone, dismiss from mind, efface, exculpate, excuse, exempt, exonerate, extenuate, forget, kiss and make up, laugh off, let bygones be bygones, let it go, let off easy, let off, let pass, let up on, make allowance, overlook, palliate, pocket, purge, release, relent, remit, reprieve, respite, spring, think no more of, turn other cheek, wink at, wipe slate clean |
Antonyms: |
accuse, blame, censure, charge, punish |
| Main Entry: | gloss |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | conceal truth |
Synonyms: |
belie, camouflage, cover up, deacon, disguise, doctor, explain, extenuate, falsify, hide, justify, mask, misrepresent, palliate, rationalize, smooth over, soft-pedal, sugarcoat, varnish, veil, veneer, white, whiten, whitewash |
Antonyms: |
clear up, explain, reveal |
| Main Entry: | lighten |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | reduce weight, load |
Synonyms: |
allay, alleviate, ameliorate, assuage, attenuate, buoy, change, comfort, cut down, decrease, dilute, disburden, disencumber, ease, empty, eradicate, extenuate, facilitate, free, jettison, lessen, levitate, make less, make lighter, mitigate, mollify, pour out, put off, reduce, relieve, remove, shift, take, take a load off, thin, throw out, unburden, unload, uplight, upraise |
Antonyms: |
burden, weigh down |
| Main Entry: | mince |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | euphemize, hold back in communication |
Synonyms: |
alleviate, decrease, diminish, extenuate, lessen, minimize, moderate, palliate, soften, spare, tone down, weaken |
Antonyms: |
reveal, tell all |
| Main Entry: | mitigate |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | check, diminish, lighten |
Synonyms: |
abate, allay, alleviate, appease, assuage, blunt, calm, come together, cool*, dull, ease, extenuate, lessen, meet halfway, moderate, modify, mollify, pacify, palliate, placate, quiet, reduce, relieve, remit, soften, soothe, subdue, take the edge off, temper, tone down, tranquilize, weaken |
Antonyms: |
aggravate, incite, increase, intensify, irritate, worsen |