excuse may refer to specific acts especially in social or conventional situations or the person responsible for these. Often the term implies extenuating circumstances.

An excuse is a reason that you give in order to explain why something has been done or has not been done, or in order to avoid doing something. It is easy to find excuses for his indecisiveness. If you …

Thus, excuses are an important component to a comprehensive understanding of the blame process.

1. to pardon or forgive: he always excuses her unpunctuality.

Definition of excuse noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. a reason, either true or invented, that you give to explain or defend your behaviour. Late again! What's your excuse this …

an instance or act of excusing: I don't want to hear any more of your excuses. a ground or reason for excusing or being excused: Ignorance of the law is no excuse.

Excuse definition: To serve as justification for.

Excuse, forgive, pardon imply being lenient or giving up the wish to punish. Excuse means to overlook some (usually) slight offense: to excuse bad manners. Forgive is applied to excusing more serious …

b excuses [plural] : reasons that you give to explain politely why you cannot do something, why you have to leave, etc.

Jan 3, 2026 · Noun excuse (countable and uncountable, plural excuses) (countable, uncountable) An explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgment; a plea offered in extenuation of …