THESAURUS
extenuate
abate, allay, alleviate, allow for, apologize, assuage, attemper, attenuate, bank the fire, bate, blunt, chasten, color, constrain, control, cramp, cripple, damp, dampen, de-emphasize, deaden, debilitate, devitalize, dilute, diminish, downplay, dull, ease, enervate, enfeeble, eviscerate, exhaust, explain, gloss over, gruel, ignore, justify, keep within bounds, lay, lay low, lenify, lessen, lighten, make allowance for, mince, mitigate, moderate, modulate, obtund, palliate, play down, qualify, rationalize, rattle, reduce, reduce the temperature, remit, restrain, sap, shake, shake up, slacken, slow down, slur over, smother, sober, sober down, soft-pedal, soften, soften up, stifle, subdue, sugarcoat, suppress, tame, temper, tone down, tune down, unbrace, undermine, underplay, unman, unnerve, unstrengthen, unstring, varnish, veneer, water down, weaken, white, whiten, whitewash
ROGET THESAURUS
extenuate
Decrease
VB
decrease, diminish, lessen, abridge, shrink, drop off, fall off, tail off, fall away, waste, wear, wane, ebb, decline, descend, subside, melt away, die away, retire into the shade, hide its diminished head, fall to a low ebb, run low, languish, decay, crumble, bate, abate, dequantitate, discount, depreciate,
extenuate, lower, weaken, attenuate, fritter away, mitigate, dwarf, throw into the shade, reduce, shorten, subtract.
Weakness
VB
be weak, drop, crumble, give way, totter, tremble, shake, halt, limp, fade, languish, decline, flag, fail, have one leg in the grave, render weak, weaken, enfeeble, debilitate, shake, deprive of strength, relax, enervate, eviscerate, unbrace, unnerve, cripple, unman, cramp, reduce, sprain, strain, blunt the edge of, dilute, impoverish, decimate,
extenuate, reduce in strength, reduce the strength of, mettre de l'eau dans son vin.
Vindication
N
vindication, justification, warrant, exoneration, exculpation, acquittal, whitewashing, extenuation, palliation, palliative, softening, mitigation, reply, defense, recrimination, apology, gloss, varnish, plea, salvo, excuse, extenuating circumstances, allowance, allowance to be made, locus paenitentiae, apologist, vindicator, justifier, defendant, justifiable charge, true bill, v, justify, warrant, be an excuse for, lend a color, furnish a handle, vindicate, exculpate, disculpate, acquit, clear, set right, exonerate, whitewash, clear the skirts of,
extenuate, palliate, excuse, soften, apologize, varnish, slur, gloze, put a gloss, put a good face upon, mince, gloss over, bolster up, help a lame dog over a stile, advocate, defend, plead one's cause, stand up for, stick up for, speak up for, contend for, speak for, bear out, keep in countenance, support, plead, say in defense, plead ignorance, confess and avoid, propugn, put in a good word for, take the will for the deed, make allowance for, give credit for, do justice to, give one his due, give the Devil his due, make good, prove the truth of, prove one's case, be justified by the event, vindicated, vindicating, exculpatory, apologetic, excusable, defensible, pardonable, venial, veniable, specious, plausible, justifiable, honi sot qui mal y pense, good wine needs no bush.