extenuate

• Verbe signifiant atténuer la gravité d'une faute ou d'une culpabilité, en invoquant des circonstances atténuantes ou des excuses partielles.

A verb meaning to lessen the seriousness of an offense or guilt by offering partial excuses or mitigating circumstances.

1. Lessen the seriousness ofC2formal

   To make an offense or fault seem less serious by providing excuses or partial justification.

   Atténuer (une faute)

   • The lawyer tried to extenuate his client's actions by citing extreme stress.
   • Nothing can extenuate such a cruel act.
   • Her difficult childhood does not extenuate her crime, but it explains it.

   Synonymesdiminishdownplayexcusejustifyminimizemitigatemoderatepalliatequalifysoftentemperunderstate

   Antonymesaggravateexacerbateintensifymagnify