1. A defence of some offensive behaviour or some failure to keep a promise etc.
   "he kept finding excuses to stay";
   - alibi, exculpation, self-justification
    
2. A note explaining an absence
   "he had to get his mother to write an excuse for him"
    
3. A poor example
   "a poor excuse for an automobile";
   - apology

1. Excuse, overlook, or make allowances for; be lenient with
   "excuse someone's behaviour";
   - condone
    
2. Serve as a reason, cause or justification of
   "Your need to sleep late does not excuse your late arrival at work";
   - explain
    
3. Free someone from an obligation, duty, payment, or punishment
   "Please excuse me from this class";
   - relieve, let off, exempt
    
4. Ask for permission to be released from an engagement
   "He excused himself from the dinner party";
   - beg off
    
5. Defend, explain, clear away, or make excuses for by reasoning
   "excuse the child's seemingly crazy behaviour";
   - rationalize, rationalise [Brit]
    
6. Accept an excuse for
   "Please excuse my dirty hands";
   - pardon

Derived forms: excuses, excused, excusing

See also: beg

Type of: absolve, account, ask for, bespeak, billet, call for, defence [Brit, Cdn], defend, defense [US], example, exemplum, forgive, free, illustration, instance, justify, line, note, pardon, representative, request, short letter, support, vindicate, vindication

Encyclopedia: Excuse