Synonyms of the word

excuse

• v. (transitive) To forgive; to pardon.
• v. (transitive) To allow to leave.
• v. (transitive) To provide an excuse for; to explain, with the aim of alleviating guilt or negative judgement.
• v. To relieve of an imputation by apology or defense; to make apology for as not seriously evil; to ask pardon…
• n. (countable, uncountable) Explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgment.
• n. (law) A defense to a criminal or civil charge wherein the accused party admits to doing acts for which…
• n. (with negative adjective prepositioned, especially sorry or poor) An example.

absolve

• v. (transitive) To set free, release or discharge (from obligations, debts, responsibility etc.).
• v. (transitive, obsolete) To resolve; to explain; to solve.
• v. (transitive) To pronounce free from or give absolution for a penalty, blame, or guilt.
• v. (transitive, law) To pronounce not guilty; to grant a pardon for.
• v. (transitive, theology) To grant a remission of sin; to give absolution to.
• v. (transitive, theology) To remit a sin; to give absolution for a sin.
• v. (transitive, obsolete) To finish; to accomplish.
• v. (transitive) To pass a course or test; to gain credit for a class; to qualify academically.

alibi

• n. (law) The plea or mode of defense under which a person on trial for a crime proves or attempts to prove…
• n. An excuse, especially one used to avoid responsibility or blame.
• v. To provide an alibi for.
• v. To provide an excuse for.

apologise

• v. (British spelling) Alternative form of apologize.

apologize

• v. (intransitive, often followed by “for”) To make an apology or excuse; to acknowledge some fault or offense,…
• v. (intransitive) To express regret that a certain event has occurred.
• v. (intransitive) (dated) To make an apology or defense; to act as apologist.

apology

• n. An expression of remorse or regret for having said or done something that harmed another: an instance…
• n. A formal justification, defence.
• n. Anything provided as a substitute; a makeshift.

bespeak

• v. (transitive) To speak about; tell of; relate; discuss.
• v. (transitive) To speak for beforehand; engage in advance; make arrangements for; order or reserve in advance.
• v. (transitive) To stipulate, solicit, ask for, or request, as in a favour.
• v. (transitive, archaic) To forbode; foretell.
• v. (transitive, archaic, poetic) To speak to; address.
• v. (transitive) To betoken; show; indicate; foretell; suggest.
• v. (intransitive) To speak up or out; exclaim; speak.
• n. A request for a specific performance; a benefit performance, by a patron.

billet

• n. A short informal letter.
• n. A written order to quarter soldiers.
• n. A place where a soldier is assigned to lodge.
• n. An allocated space or berth in a boat or ship.
• n. (figuratively) Berth; position.
• v. (transitive, of a householder etc.) To lodge soldiers, or guests, usually by order.
• v. (intransitive, of a soldier) To lodge, or be quartered, in a private house.
• v. (transitive) To direct, by a ticket or note, where to lodge.
• n. (metallurgy) A semi-finished length of metal.
• n. A short piece of wood, especially one used as firewood.
• n. (heraldry) A rectangle used as a charge on an escutcheon.
• n. (architecture) An ornament in Norman work, resembling a billet of wood, either square or round.
• n. (saddlery) A strap that enters a buckle.
• n. A loop that receives the end of a buckled strap.

condone

• v. (transitive) To forgive, excuse or overlook (something).
• v. (transitive) To allow, accept or permit (something).
• v. (transitive, law) To forgive (marital infidelity or other marital offense).

defence

• n. The action of defending, of protecting from attack, danger or injury.
• n. Something used to oppose attack(s).
• n. An argument in support or justification of something.
• n. (team sports) A strategy and tactics employed to prevent the other team from scoring; contrasted with…
• n. (team sports) The portion of a team dedicated to preventing the other team from scoring; contrasted with…
• n. Government policy or (infra)structure related to the military.
• n. (obsolete) Prohibition; a prohibitory ordinance.
• v. (obsolete, transitive) To furnish with defences; to fortify.

defend

• v. (transitive, obsolete) To ward off, repel (an attack or attacker).
• v. (transitive, obsolete) To prevent, to keep (from doing something).
• v. (transitive, intransitive, obsolete) To prohibit, forbid.
• v. (transitive) To ward off attacks from; to fight to protect; to guard.
• v. (transitive) To support by words or writing; to vindicate, talk in favour of.
• v. (transitive, law) To make legal defence of; to represent (the accused).
• v. (sports) To focus one's energies and talents on preventing opponents from scoring, as opposed to focusing…
• v. (sports) To attempt to retain a title, or attempt to reach the same stage in a competition as one did…
• v. (poker slang) To call a raise from the big blind.

defense

• n. The action of defending or protecting from attack, danger, or injury.
• n. Anything employed to oppose attack(s).
• n. An argument in support or justification of something.
• n. (government, military) Government policy or (infra)structure related to the military.
• n. (obsolete) Prohibition; a prohibitory ordinance.

example

• n. Something that is representative of all such things in a group.
• n. Something that serves to illustrate or explain a rule.
• n. Something that serves as a pattern of behaviour to be imitated (a good example) or not to be imitated…
• n. A person punished as a warning to others.
• n. A parallel or closely similar case, especially when serving as a precedent or model.
• n. An instance (as a problem to be solved) serving to illustrate the rule or precept or to act as an exercise…
• v. To be illustrated or exemplified (by).

exculpation

• n. The act of exculpating from alleged fault or crime; that which exculpates; excuse.

exempt

• adj. Free from a duty or obligation.
• adj. (of an employee or his position) Not entitled to overtime pay when working overtime.
• adj. (obsolete) Cut off; set apart.
• adj. (obsolete) Extraordinary; exceptional.
• n. One who has been released from something.
• n. (historical) A type of French police officer.
• n. (Britain) One of four officers of the Yeomen of the Royal Guard, having the rank of corporal; an exon.
• v. (transitive) To grant (someone) freedom or immunity from.

explain

• v. To make plain, manifest, or intelligible; to clear of obscurity; to illustrate the meaning of.
• v. To give a valid excuse for some past behavior.
• v. (obsolete) To make flat, smooth out.
• v. (obsolete) To unfold or make visible.

forgive

• v. (transitive) To pardon, to waive any negative feeling or desire for punishment.
• v. (intransitive) To accord forgiveness.

free

• adj. (social) Unconstrained.
• adj. Obtainable without any payment.
• adj. (abstract) Unconstrained.
• adj. (physical) Unconstrained.
• adj. Without; not containing (what is specified); exempt; clear; liberated.
• adj. (dated) Ready; eager; acting without spurring or whipping; spirited.
• adj. (dated) Invested with a particular freedom or franchise; enjoying certain immunities or privileges; admitted…
• adj. (Britain, law, obsolete) Certain or honourable; the opposite of base.
• adj. (law) Privileged or individual; the opposite of common.
• adv. Without needing to pay.
• adv. (obsolete) Freely; willingly.
• v. (transitive) To make free; set at liberty; release; rid of that which confines, limits, embarrasses, or…
• n. (Australian rules football, Gaelic football) Abbreviation of free kick.
• n. free transfer.
• n. (hurling) The usual means of restarting play after a foul is committed, where the non-offending team restarts…

illustration

• n. The act of illustrating; the act of making clear and distinct; education; also, the state of being illustrated,…
• n. That which illustrates; a comparison or example intended to make clear or apprehensible, or to remove…
• n. A picture designed to decorate a volume or elucidate a literary work.
• n. A calculated prevision of insurance premiums and returns (life insurance).

instance

• n. (obsolete) Urgency of manner or words; an urgent request; insistence.
• n. (obsolete) A token; a sign; a symptom or indication.
• n. (obsolete) That which is urgent; motive.
• n. Occasion; order of occurrence.
• n. A case offered as an exemplification or a precedent; an illustrative example.
• n. One of a series of recurring occasions, cases, essentially the same.
• n. (obsolete) A piece of evidence; a proof or sign (of something).
• n. (computing) In object-oriented programming: a created object, one that has had memory allocated for local…
• n. (massively multiplayer online games) A dungeon or other area that is duplicated for each player, or each…
• n. (massively multiplayer online games) An individual copy of such a dungeon or other area.
• v. (transitive) To mention as a case or example; to refer to; to cite.
• v. (intransitive) To cite an example as proof; to exemplify.

justify

• v. (transitive) To provide an acceptable explanation for.
• v. (transitive) To be a good, acceptable reason for; warrant.
• v. (transitive) To arrange (text) on a page or a computer screen such that the left and right ends of all…
• v. (transitive) To absolve, and declare to be free of blame or sin.
• v. To prove; to ratify; to confirm.
• v. (law) To show (a person) to have had a sufficient legal reason for an act that has been made the subject…
• v. (law) To qualify (oneself) as a surety by taking oath to the ownership of sufficient property.

line

• n. A path through two or more points (compare ‘segment’); a continuous mark, including as made by a pen;…
• n. A rope, cord, string, or thread, of any thickness.
• n. A hose or pipe, of any size.
• n. Direction, path.
• n. The wire connecting one telegraphic station with another, a telephone or internet cable between two points:…
• n. A letter, a written form of communication.
• n. A connected series of public conveyances, as a roadbed or railway track; and hence, an established arrangement…
• n. (military) A trench or rampart, or the non-physical demarcation of the extent of the territory occupied…
• n. The exterior limit of a figure or territory: a boundary, contour, or outline; a demarcation.
• n. A long tape or ribbon marked with units for measuring; a tape measure.
• n. (obsolete) A measuring line or cord.
• n. That which was measured by a line, such as a field or any piece of land set apart; hence, allotted place…
• n. A threadlike crease or wrinkle marking the face, hand, or body; hence, a characteristic mark.
• n. Lineament; feature; figure (of one's body).
• n. A more-or-less straight sequence of people, objects, etc., either arranged as a queue or column and often…
• n. (military) The regular infantry of an army, as distinguished from militia, guards, volunteer corps, cavalry,…
• n. A series or succession of ancestors or descendants of a given person; a family or race; compare lineage.
• n. A small amount of text. Specifically.
• n. Course of conduct, thought, occupation, or policy; method of argument; department of industry, trade,…
• n. The official, stated position (or set of positions) of an individual or group, particularly a political…
• n. The products or services sold by a business, or by extension, the business itself.
• n. (stock exchange) A number of shares taken by a jobber.
• n. A measure of length.
• n. (historical) A maxwell, a unit of magnetic flux.
• n. (baseball, slang, 1800s, with "the") The batter’s box.
• n. (fencing, ‘line of engagement’) The position in which the fencers hold their swords.
• n. (engineering) Proper relative position or adjustment (of parts, not as to design or proportion, but with…
• n. A small portion or serving (of a powdery illegal drug).
• n. (obsolete) Instruction; doctrine.
• n. (genetics) Population of cells derived from a single cell and containing the same genetic makeup.
• n. (perfusion line) a set composed of a spike, a drip chamber, a clamp, a Y-injection site, a three-way stopcock…
• n. (ice hockey) A group of forwards that play together.
• v. (transitive) To place (objects) into a line (usually used with "up"); to form into a line; to align.
• v. (transitive) To place persons or things along the side of for security or defense; to strengthen by adding;…
• v. To form a line along.
• v. (transitive) To mark with a line or lines, to cover with lines.
• v. (transitive, obsolete) To represent by lines; to delineate; to portray.
• v. (transitive) To read or repeat line by line.
• v. (intransitive, ‘line up’) To form or enter into a line.
• v. (intransitive, baseball) To hit a line drive; to hit a line drive which is caught for an out. Compare…
• v. To track (wild bees) to their nest by following their line of flight.
• n. (obsolete) Flax; linen, particularly the longer fiber of flax.
• v. (transitive) To cover the inner surface of (something), originally especially with linen.
• v. To reinforce (the back of a book) with glue and glued scrap material such as fabric or paper.
• v. (transitive) To fill or supply (something), as a purse with money.
• v. (transitive, now rare, of a dog) to copulate with, to impregnate.

note

• n. (heading) A symbol or annotation.
• n. (heading) A written or printed communication or commitment.
• n. (music, heading) A sound.
• n. (uncountable) Observation; notice; heed.
• n. (uncountable) Reputation; distinction.
• n. (obsolete) Notification; information; intelligence.
• n. (obsolete) Mark of disgrace.
• v. (transitive) To notice with care; to observe; to remark; to heed.
• v. (transitive) To record in writing; to make a memorandum of.
• v. (transitive) To denote; to designate.
• v. (transitive) To annotate.
• v. (transitive) To set down in musical characters.
• v. (transitive) To record on the back of (a bill, draft, etc.) a refusal of acceptance, as the ground of…
• n. (uncountable, Britain dialectal, Northern England, Ireland, Scotland) That which is needed or necessary;…
• n. (Britain dialectal, Northern England, Ireland, Scotland) The giving of milk by a cow or sow; the period…

pardon

• n. Forgiveness for an offence.
• n. (law) An order that releases a convicted criminal without further punishment, prevents future punishment,…
• v. (transitive) To forgive.
• v. (transitive) To refrain from exacting as a penalty.
• v. (transitive, law) To grant an official pardon for a crime; unguilt.
• interj. Often used when someone does not understand what another person says.

quest

• n. A journey or effort in pursuit of a goal (often lengthy, ambitious, or fervent); a mission.
• n. The act of seeking, or looking after anything; attempt to find or obtain; search; pursuit.
• n. (obsolete) Request; desire; solicitation.
• n. (obsolete) A group of people making search or inquiry.
• n. (obsolete) Inquest; jury of inquest.
• v. To seek or pursue a goal; to undertake a mission or job.
• v. To search for; to examine.
• v. (entomology, of a tick) To locate and attach to a host animal.

rationalise

• v. (British spelling) alternative spelling of rationalize.

rationalize

• v. To make something rational or more rational.
• v. To justify an immoral act, or illogical behaviour. “The process of thought by which one justifies a discreditable…
• v. (mathematics) To remove radicals, without changing the value of an expression or the roots of an equation.
• v. To structure something along modern, efficient and systematic lines, or according to scientific principles…

relieve

• v. To ease (a person, person's thoughts etc.) from mental distress; to stop (someone) feeling anxious or…
• v. To ease (someone, a part of the body etc.) or give relief from physical pain or discomfort.
• v. To alleviate (pain, distress, mental discomfort etc.).
• v. To provide comfort or assistance to (someone in need, especially in poverty).
• v. (obsolete) To lift up; to raise again.
• v. (now rare) To raise (someone) out of danger or from (a specified difficulty etc.).
• v. (law) To free (someone) from debt or legal obligations; to give legal relief to.
• v. To bring military help to (a besieged town); to lift the siege on.
• v. To release (someone) from or of a difficulty, unwanted task, responsibility etc.
• v. (military, job) To free (someone) from their post, task etc. by taking their place.
• v. (now rare) To make (something) stand out; to make prominent, bring into relief.
• v. (reflexive) To go to the toilet; to defecate or urinate.

representative

• adj. Typical; having the same properties or interest as a larger group.
• n. One who may speak for another in a particular capacity, especially in negotiation.
• n. A member of a legislative or governing body who represents a constituency.
• n. One that is taken as typical of its class.
• n. (US, politics) A member of the US House of Representatives.
• n. Company agent who visits potential purchasers, salesman.

request

• n. Act of requesting (with the adposition at in the presence of possessives, and on in their absence).
• n. A formal message requesting something.
• n. Condition of being sought after.
• n. (obsolete) That which is asked for or requested.
• v. to express the need or desire for.
• v. to ask somebody to do something.

self-justification

• n. Justification of oneself.

support

• n. Something which supports. Often used attributively, as a complement or supplement to.
• n. Financial or other help.
• n. Answers to questions and resolution of problems regarding something sold.
• n. (mathematics) in relation to a function, the set of points where the function is not zero, or the closure…
• n. (fuzzy set theory) A set whose elements are at least partially included in a given fuzzy set (i.e., whose…
• n. Evidence.
• n. (computing) Compatibility and functionality for a given product or feature.
• n. (gymnastics) Clipping of support position.
• v. (transitive) To keep from falling.
• v. (transitive) To answer questions and resolve problems regarding something sold.
• v. (transitive) To back a cause, party, etc., mentally or with concrete aid.
• v. (transitive) To help, particularly financially.
• v. To verify; to make good; to substantiate; to establish; to sustain.
• v. (transitive) To serve, as in a customer-oriented mindset; to give support to.
• v. (transitive) To be designed (said of machinery, electronics, or computers, or their parts, accessories,…
• v. (transitive) To be accountable for, or involved with, but not responsible for.
• v. (archaic) To endure without being overcome; bear; undergo; to tolerate.
• v. To assume and carry successfully, as the part of an actor; to represent or act; to sustain.

vindicate

• v. To clear from an accusation, suspicion or criticism.
• v. To justify by providing evidence.
• v. To maintain or defend a cause against opposition.
• v. To provide justification for.
• v. To lay claim to; to assert a right to; to claim.
• v. (obsolete) To liberate; to set free; to deliver.
• v. (obsolete) To avenge; to punish.

vindication

• n. The act of vindicating or the state of being vindicated.
• n. Evidence, facts, statements, or arguments that justify a claim or belief.