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"
Explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgment; a plea offered in extenuation of a fault.
"After arriving late, he offered a flimsy excuse about traffic instead of admitting he chose to sleep in."
In plain English: An excuse is something you say to try and avoid getting blamed for doing something wrong.
"She didn't have an excuse for being late to work today."
Usage: Use the noun excuse when referring to an explanation given to justify bad behavior, but distinguish it from an apology by noting that excuses often shift blame rather than admit responsibility. Unlike synonyms such as "reason," which implies logic, or "justification," which suggests validity, an excuse is typically a plea offered specifically to avoid guilt or negative judgment for a fault.
defend, explain, clear away, or make excuses for by reasoning
"rationalize the child's seemingly crazy behavior"
"he rationalized his lack of success"
To forgive; to pardon.
"The judge decided to excuse the minor traffic violation because of the heavy rain."
The word "excuse" entered Middle English via the French verb escuser, which literally meant to free someone from a charge or allegation. This Latin origin combines elements meaning "out of" with "cause," reflecting its original sense of clearing one's name rather than just making an excuse today.