How do you spell Extenuate?
Correct spelling
extenuate
Remember: EX + TENUIS (thin) - making excuses thinner, not thicker
Why is extenuate spelled this way?
From Latin extenuare, to make thin. EX (out) + TENUIS (thin). To extenuate is to make thin — reducing the severity of something by stretching the excuse.
Common misspellings of extenuate
extenuateextentuateextunuateextennuate
Example
The defense attorney tried to extenuate his client's crime by citing difficult circumstances.