extenuating

[ ik-sten-yoo-ey-ting ]

/ ɪkˈstɛn yuˌeɪ tɪŋ /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR extenuating ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

serving to make a fault, offense, etc., appear less serious: The judge gave him a comparatively mild sentence due to extenuating circumstances.

Words nearby extenuating

extensor muscle of index finger, extensor muscle of little finger, extensor retinaculum, extent, extenuate, extenuating, extenuating circumstance, extenuating circumstances, extenuation, extenuatory, exterior

Origin of extenuating

extenuate + -ing²

OTHER WORDS FROM extenuating

ex·ten·u·at·ing·ly, adverbnon·ex·ten·u·at·ing, adjectivenon·ex·ten·u·at·ing·ly, adverbun·ex·ten·u·at·ing, adjective

un·ex·ten·u·at·ing·ly, adverb

Definition for extenuating (2 of 2)

extenuate

[ ik-sten-yoo-eyt ]

/ ɪkˈstɛn yuˌeɪt /

verb (used with object), ex·ten·u·at·ed, ex·ten·u·at·ing.

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

to serve to make (a fault, offense, etc.) seem less serious.

to underestimate, underrate, or make light of: Do not extenuate the difficulties we are in.

Archaic.

to make thin, lean, or emaciated.
to reduce the consistency or density of.

Origin of extenuate

1375–1425; late Middle English (adj.) < Latin extenuātus, past participle of extenuāre, equivalent to ex- ex-¹ + tenuāre to make thin or small; see -ate¹

OTHER WORDS FROM extenuate

ex·ten·u·at·ing, adjectiveex·ten·u·a·tive, adjectiveex·ten·u·a·tor, nounnon·ex·ten·u·a·tive, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Examples from the Web for extenuating

Those milk-sops on the jury are just capable of according him extenuating circumstances.
The Widow Lerouge|Emile Gaboriau
I hope the recording angel will take into account the extenuating circumstances of that lie.
"Over There" with the Australians|R. Hugh Knyvett
If there be extenuating circumstances favorable to the warrior Cacami, your king prays the court to employ them to his advantage.
A Prince of Anahuac|James A. Porter
This was she in whose behalf he had weakly lowered himself to plead to his own cast-off slave for extenuating evidences!
The Continental Monthly, Vol. 6, No. 6, December 1864|Various

With consummate audacity Pierre now hopes there may be found some "extenuating circumstances" in his own case.
Oswald Langdon|Carson Jay Lee

British Dictionary definitions for extenuating

extenuate

/ (ɪkˈstɛnjʊˌeɪt) /

verb (tr)

to represent (an offence, a fault, etc) as being less serious than it appears, as by showing mitigating circumstances

to cause to be or appear less serious; mitigate

to underestimate or make light of

archaic

to emaciate or weaken
to dilute or thin out

Derived forms of extenuate

extenuating, adjectiveextenuation, nounextenuator, nounextenuatory, adjective

Word Origin for extenuate

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

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012