· a defense of some offensive behavior or some failure to keep a promise etc.; "he kept finding excuses to stay"; "every day he had a new alibi for not getting a job"; "his transparent self-justification was unacceptable"
Synonym(s): alibi, exculpation, self-justification
Hypernym(s): defense, defence, vindication
· a note explaining an absence; "he had to get his mother to write an excuse for him"
Hypernym(s): note, short_letter, line, billet
· a poor example; "it was an apology for a meal"; "a poor excuse for an automobile"
Synonym(s): apology
Hypernym(s): example, illustration, instance, representative
· accept an excuse for; "Please excuse my dirty hands"
Synonym(s): pardon
Hypernym(s): forgive
· grant exemption or release to; "Please excuse me from this class"
Synonym(s): relieve, let_off, exempt
· serve as a reason or cause or justification of; "Your need to sleep late does not excuse your late arrival at work"; "Her recent divorce may explain her reluctance to date again"
Synonym(s): explain
Hypernym(s): justify, vindicate
· defend, explain, clear away, or make excuses for by reasoning; "rationalize the child's seemingly crazy behavior"; "he rationalized his lack of success"
Synonym(s): apologize, apologise, rationalize, rationalise
Hypernym(s): defend, support, fend_for
· ask for permission to be released from an engagement
Synonym(s): beg_off
Hypernym(s): request, ask_for, bespeak, call_for, quest
· excuse, overlook, or make allowances for; be lenient with; "excuse someone's behavior"; "She condoned her husband's occasional infidelities"
Synonym(s): condone
Hypernym(s): forgive