Key: "S:" = Show Synset (semantic) relations, "W:" = Show Word (lexical) relations
Display options for sense: (gloss) "an example sentence"
Noun
S: (n) excuse, alibi, exculpation, self-justification (a defense of some offensive behavior or some failure to keep a promise etc.) "he kept finding excuses to stay"; "every day he had a new alibi for not getting a job"; "his transparent self-justification was unacceptable"
S: (n) excuse (a note explaining an absence) "he had to get his mother to write an excuse for him"
S: (n) apology, excuse (a poor example) "it was an apology for a meal"; "a poor excuse for an automobile"
Verb
S: (v) excuse, pardon (accept an excuse for) "Please excuse my dirty hands"
S: (v) excuse, explain (serve as a reason or cause or justification of) "Your need to sleep late does not excuse your late arrival at work"; "Her recent divorce may explain her reluctance to date again"
S: (v) apologize, apologise, excuse, rationalize, rationalise (defend, explain, clear away, or make excuses for by reasoning) "rationalize the child's seemingly crazy behavior"; "he rationalized his lack of success"
S: (v) excuse, beg off (ask for permission to be released from an engagement)
S: (v) excuse, condone (excuse, overlook, or make allowances for; be lenient with) "excuse someone's behavior"; "She condoned her husband's occasional infidelities"