Meaning & Definition of word "Extenuating"
Extenuating
/ɪkˈstɛnjʊeɪtɪŋ/
adjective:
- 1. Servicing as a factor that lessens the seriousness or gravity of an offense.
- Example: The judge considered the extenuating circumstances of the defendant's life before deciding on the sentence.
- 2. Justifying or mitigating factors that reduce culpability.
- Example: Her extenuating circumstances, such as her illness, made the committee reconsider their decision.
- 3. Making an action or situation seem less serious or more forgivable.
- Example: He claimed that there were extenuating factors that led him to miss the deadline.
Etymology
●From Latin 'extenuare', meaning to make thin.
Common Phrases and Expressions
extenuating circumstances:
Factors that lessen the blame or seriousness of an action.
extenuating factors:
Conditions that provide justification for a person's actions.
Related Words
mitigate:
To make less severe or serious.
alleviate:
To make suffering, deficiency, or a problem less severe.
Slang Meanings of extenuating
Meaning: To cover up or make excuses for wrongdoing.
● Example Sentence: He was just extenuating when he said he was late because of traffic.