excuse

Meanings

• a defense of some offensive behavior or some failure to keep a promise etc.
  • "he kept finding excuses to stay"
• a note explaining an absence
  • "he had to get his mother to write an excuse for him"
• a poor example
  • "a poor excuse for an automobile"
• accept an excuse for
  • "Please excuse my dirty hands"
• grant exemption or release to
  • "Please excuse me from this class"
• serve as a reason or cause or justification of
  • "Your need to sleep late does not excuse your late arrival at work"
• defend, explain, clear away, or make excuses for by reasoning
• ask for permission to be released from an engagement
• excuse, overlook, or make allowances for; be lenient with
  • "excuse someone's behavior"

Synonyms

alibi, apologise, apologize, apology, beg off, condone, exculpation, exempt, explain, justify, let off, pardon, rationalise, rationalize, relieve, self-justification