'Extenuating' definitions:
Definition of 'extenuating'
From: WordNet
adjective
Partially excusing or justifying; "extenuating circumstances"
Definition of 'Extenuating'
From: GCIDE
- Extenuate \Ex*ten"u*ate\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Extenuated; p. pr. & vb. n. Extenuating.] [L. extenuatus, p. p. of extenuare to make thin, loosen, weaken; ex out + tenuare to make thin, tenuis thin. See Tenuity.]
- 1. To make thin or slender; to draw out so as to lessen the thickness. [1913 Webster]
- His body behind the head becomes broad, from whence it is again extenuated all the way to the tail. --Grew. [1913 Webster]
- 2. 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. [1913 Webster]
- But fortune there extenuates the crime. --Dryden. [1913 Webster]
- Let us extenuate, conceal, adorn the unpleasing reality. --I. Taylor. [1913 Webster]
- 3. To lower or degrade; to detract from. [Obs.] [1913 Webster]
- Who can extenuate thee? --Milton.
- Syn: To palliate; to mitigate. See Palliate. [1913 Webster]
Definition of 'extenuating'
From: GCIDE
- extenuating \extenuating\ adj. serving or tending to reduce the severity of guilt or blameworthiness; as, extenuating circumstances.
- Syn: mitigating. [WordNet 1.5]
Synonyms of 'extenuating'
From: Moby Thesaurus
- altering,
- apologetic,
- assuasive,
- bounding,
- diminishing,
- excusatory,
- excusing,
- extenuative,
- extenuatory,
- justificatory,
- justifying,
- lenitive,
- lessening,
- limitative,
- limiting,
- mitigating,
- mitigative,
- mitigatory,
- modificatory,
- modifying,
- modulatory,
- palliative,
- qualificative,
- qualificatory,
- qualifying,
- refuting,
- rehabilitative,
- restricting,
- restrictive,
- softening,
- tempering,
- vindicative,
- vindicatory