| noun | a defense of some offensive behavior or some failure to keep a promise etc. “he kept finding excuses to stay” |
| noun | a note explaining an absence “he had to get his mother to write an excuse for him” |
| noun | a poor example “it was an apology for a meal” |
| verb | accept an excuse for “Please excuse my dirty hands” |
| verb | grant exemption or release to “Please excuse me from this class” |
| verb | serve as a reason or cause or justification of “Your need to sleep late does not excuse your late arrival at work” |
| verb | defend, explain, clear away, or make excuses for by reasoning “rationalize the child's seemingly crazy behavior” |
| verb | ask for permission to be released from an engagement |
| verb | excuse, overlook, or make allowances for; be lenient with “excuse someone's behavior” |
| excuse | verb | excuse, overlook, or make allowances for; be lenient with |
| alibi | verb | exonerate by means of an alibi |
| excuse | noun | a defense of some offensive behavior or some failure to keep a promise etc. |
| pardon | noun | the act of excusing a mistake or offense |
| explanation | noun | the act of explaining; making something plain or intelligible |
| apology | noun | a formal written defense of something you believe in strongly |
| excusatory | adjective | offering or expressing apology |
| justificative | adjective | attempting to justify or defend in speech or writing |
| justificatory | adjective | attempting to justify or defend in speech or writing |
| justifiable | adjective | capable of being justified |
| justification | noun | a statement in explanation of some action or belief |
| justifier | noun | a person who argues to defend or justify some policy or institution |
| rationalization | noun | the cognitive process of making something seem consistent with or based on reason |
| rationalisation | noun | the cognitive process of making something seem consistent with or based on reason |
| excuser | noun | a person who pardons or forgives or excuses a fault or offense |
| condonation | noun | a pardon by treating the offender as if the offense had not occurred |