extenuation.

Circumstances or explanation that make an offense or fault seem less blameworthy.

Use it for

Words that belong together

• in extenuation
• extenuation of an offense

On the page

The testimony was offered in extenuation, not as a denial.

Usage notes

Primary category: academic / formal. Forms: Usually uncountable; no ordinary plural in this sense. Legacy lexical fields mirror sense 1 only. Use numbered sense fields for all meanings. Established modern English lexical item. No separate regional spelling or grammatical inflection entry. Writing functions: analysis, explanation, qualification. Commonness: uncommon.