DictionaryAI

excuse

Sayik-SKYOOS/ɪksˈkjus/UK/ɪkˈskjuːs/
As a verbik-SKYOOZ

Pluralexcuses

Verbexcuses, excusing, excused

6 meanings of excuse

Practice

  1. 1
    pleanouncountable
    A reason you give to avoid blame for something you did, or for not doing something.

    Like a shield you hold up to stop blame from reaching you.

    He always has an excuse ready when he forgets his homework.

    Her excuses for arriving late never convinced the boss.

    UsageSay make an excuse, and an excuse for something: no excuse for being late.

    Similarpretext, justification, explanation, alibi, reason

    Note
  2. 2
    free from dutyverbtransitive
    To let someone leave, or to free them from something they must do.

    Like a teacher saying you may leave class early.

    The principal will excuse you from gym class today.

    The coach excused her from practice because she was sick.

    UsageSay excuse someone from something, or excuse yourself to leave politely.

    Similarrelease, exempt, dismiss, relieve, free

    Note
  3. 3
    overlook a faultverbtransitive
    To forgive or overlook a mistake or fault, or forgive someone for it.

    Like rubbing out a small mark so no one minds it anymore.

    Please excuse my messy handwriting.

    She excused his rudeness because he was tired.

    UsageSay excuse my mistake, or excuse someone for something.

    Similarforgive, pardon, overlook, tolerate

    Oppositecondemn, blame, punish

    Note
  4. 4
    verbtransitive
    To make something wrong seem less bad, by giving a reason for it or by being a reason for it.

    Like saying 'I was hungry' to make taking the cookie seem okay.

    Nothing can excuse such careless behavior.

    Her youth never excused the lie.

    UsageOften used with nothing or cannot. To explain a wrong is not to excuse it.

    Note
  5. 5
    poor examplenouncountable
    A poor or sad example of something, far worse than it should be.

    Like calling a tiny puddle a swimming pool.

    That soggy sandwich was a sorry excuse for a meal.

    He's a pathetic excuse for a leader.

    UsageSay a poor excuse for or a sorry excuse for something.

    Similartravesty

Less common meaning

  1. 6
    legal defensenouncountable
    In law, a reason that frees a person from blame, even though they admit they did the act.

    Like saying 'someone forced me to do it,' so the blame is not yours.

    Insanity can be used as an excuse in a criminal trial.

    In court, his lawyer said that acting under a threat to his life was a legal excuse for the crime.

    Similardefense

    Note

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of excuse apart? Answer 4 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origin

From Latin excusare, meaning to free from a charge, made from ex ('out') and causa ('a charge'). It came into English through Old French.

Checked 7 Nov 2026 · 3 facts

  • Excuse ultimately derives from Latin excusare, meaning to free from a charge. cld.bbaw.de
  • The Latin word was formed from ex, meaning out, and causa, meaning a charge. en.wiktionary.org
  • The word entered English through Old French. en.wiktionary.org