- 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"
--1 is a kind of defense, defence, vindication
--1 has particulars: extenuation, mitigation - exculpation - the act of freeing from guilt or blame
--2 is a kind of forgiveness, pardon
Derived form: verb exculpate1