Definition of extenuate Extenuate

/ɪkstɛˈnjuejˌt/ - [ikstenyueyt] - ex•ten•u•ate

We found 12 definitions of extenuate from 5 different sources.

What does extenuate mean?

Verb extenuates, extenuating, extenuated
extenuate - lessen or to try to lessen the seriousness or extent of; "The circumstances extenuate the crime"
		palliate, mitigate
		apologise, apologize, justify, rationalise, rationalize, excuse acknowledge faults or shortcomings or failing; "I apologized for being late"; "He apologized for the many typoes"
		jurisprudence, law the branch of philosophy concerned with the law and the principles that lead courts to make the decisions they do

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extenuate (Verb)
To make thin or slender; to draw out so as to lessen the thickness.
extenuate (Verb)
To become thinner.
extenuate (Verb)
To lessen; to palliate; to lessen or weaken the force of; to diminish the conception of, as crime, guilt, faults, ills, accusations, etc. ; -- opposed to aggravate.
extenuate (Verb)
To lower or degrade; to detract from.

extenuate (v. t.)
To make thin or slender; to draw out so as to lessen the thickness.
extenuate (v. t.)
To lessen; to palliate; to lessen or weaken the force of; to diminish the conception of, as crime, guilt, faults, ills, accusations, etc.; -- opposed to aggravate.
extenuate (v. t.)
To lower or degrade; to detract from.
extenuate (v. i.)
To become thinner; to make excuses; to advance palliating considerations.
extenuate (a.)
Thin; slender.

extenuate
eks-ten′ū-āt, v.t. to lessen: to underrate: to weaken the force of: to palliate.—p.adj. Exten′uating, palliating.—adv. Exten′uatingly.—n. Extenuā′tion, act of representing anything as less wrong or criminal than it is: palliation: mitigation.—adjs. Exten′uative, Exten′uatory, tending to extenuate: palliative.—n. Exten′uator. [L. extenuāre, -ātum—ex, inten., tenuis, thin.]