extenuate

[ ik-sten-yoo-eyt ]

verb (used with object)

, ex·ten·u·at·ed, ex·ten·u·at·ing.

1. to represent (a fault, offense, etc.) as less serious:

   to extenuate a crime.

2. to serve to make (a fault, offense, etc.) seem less serious.
3. to underestimate, underrate, or make light of:

   Do not extenuate the difficulties we are in.

4. Archaic.
   1. to make thin, lean, or emaciated.
   2. to reduce the consistency or density of.

extenuate

/ ɪkˈstɛnjʊˌeɪt /

verb

1. to represent (an offence, a fault, etc) as being less serious than it appears, as by showing mitigating circumstances
2. to cause to be or appear less serious; mitigate
3. to underestimate or make light of
4. archaic.
   1. to emaciate or weaken
   2. to dilute or thin out

Derived Forms

• exˌtenuˈation, noun
• exˈtenuatory, adjective
• exˈtenuˌating, adjective
• exˈtenuˌator, noun

Other Words From

• ex·tenu·ating adjective
• ex·tenu·ative adjective
• ex·tenu·ator noun
• nonex·tenu·ative adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of extenuate¹

First recorded in 1520–30; from Latin extenuātus, past participle of extenuāre, equivalent to ex- ex- ¹ + tenuāre “to make thin or small”; thin; -ate ¹( def )

Word History and Origins

Origin of extenuate¹

C16: from Latin extenuāre to make thin, from tenuis thin, frail

Example Sentences

In general, getting in touch with someone at Etsy to resolve problems or explain extenuating circumstances feels harder than ever.

From Time

Kolker chose his contexts very carefully and omitted many extenuating facts on Dorland’s side, and subsequent revelations complicated the narrative he presented.

From Vox

They attempted to extenuate their crimes by the hardships they had suffered, but in vain.

From Project Gutenberg

This reflection may extenuate my faults in their effects, but it must aggravate them in their source.

From Project Gutenberg

The Lords' committee extenuate the presumption that either knights or burgesses sat in any of these parliaments.

From Project Gutenberg

If some dozen of the conniving deputies had been sent there, Warden Tapp might have had less to extenuate.

From Project Gutenberg

But whether he is to be believed or not, the fact that four of the prisoners went down in irons is impossible to extenuate.

From Project Gutenberg