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Extenuate

verb/ɛkstˈɛnjuːˌeɪt/
Definition
lessen or to try to lessen the seriousness or extent of
Pronunciation
🇺🇸American English
/ɛkstˈɛnjuːˌeɪt/
🇬🇧British English
/ɛkstˈɛnjuːˌeɪt/
🇮🇳Indian English
/ɛkstˈɛnjuːˌeɪt/
3 syllables Say it as /ɛkstˈɛnjuːˌeɪt/.
Examples
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms
palliatemitigate
Parts of Speech
verblessen or to try to lessen the seriousness or extent of
“The circumstances extenuate the crime”
Word Forms
extenuationnouna partial excuse to mitigate censure; an attempt to represent an offense as less serious than it appears by showing mitigating circumstances
palliationnounto act in such a way as to cause an offense to seem less serious
mitigativeadjectivemoderating pain or sorrow by making it easier to bear
mitigatoryadjectivemoderating pain or sorrow by making it easier to bear
mitigationnouna partial excuse to mitigate censure; an attempt to represent an offense as less serious than it appears by showing mitigating circumstances
Test Yourself1 / 3
What is the primary definition of the word 'extenuate'?
The primary meaning of 'extenuate' is 'lessen or to try to lessen the seriousness or extent of'.
Which of the following sentences uses the word 'extenuate' in a grammatically correct way?
Using 'extenuate' in a noun/adjective form makes the first sentence correct.
In which domain is the word 'extenuate' most likely to appear as standard vocabulary?
'extenuate' is a standard word used primarily in general literature and formal communications.
Community Poll1 / 6
How often do you encounter the word 'extenuate' in your daily reading?
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Do you find 'extenuate' easy to spell?
Yes, very easy
Somewhat easy
A bit confusing
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In your opinion, does the word 'extenuate' have a positive, neutral, or gloomy tone?
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Neutral
Gloomy
Vibrant
Which age group is most likely to use 'extenuate' in regular conversations?
Kids (3-12)
Teens (13-19)
Adults (20-60)
Seniors (60+)
How likely are you to use 'extenuate' in a professional email?
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Would you classify 'extenuate' as formal, casual, or slang?
Formal
Casual
Slang
Archaic
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