justification, reason, pretext, explanation, smokescreen, scapegoat, alibi, inexcusable, euphemism, simply, blame, stupid, justify, antidote, pity, awful, pretend, joke, indication, shame, rationale, metaphor, berate, idiot, pretense, copout, consequence, crutch, unforgivable, brainer, ploy, temptation, cliche, analogy, ridiculous, whining, motivation, aberration, impediment, exception, sorry, bemoan, fig leaf, apologist, anymore, ashamed, disincentive, opportunity, silly, whipping boy, whinge, overcritical, unconscionable, chastise, tu quoque, smacks, carte blanche, pettily, bellyache, overprotect, crap, pshaw, reluctancy, lamenting, gimme, idiotic, insult, scold, castigate, malinger, pathetic, anyhow, abomination, thickheaded, hypocritical, contemptible, remedy, bothers, hint, foolish, anyway, condone, wont, snivel, appalling, specious argument, reprove, unpardonable, skive, righto, party pooper, omen, red herring, belittle, criticize, unacceptable, exaggeration, belly ache, prerogative, understandable, means, disingenuous, excuses, pretence, pretexts, grist, inducement, apology, objection, disguise, accommodation, bait, consolation, catalogue, chart, frame, policy, program, project, almanac, appeal, bridge, call, card, case, chair, cheese, code, convert, decree, diagram, dictionary, difference

color, extenuate, frank, gloss, mitigate, palliate, plead

absurd, alienation of affection, cock-and-bull story, color, colour, condone, convenient, cover for, design, extenuation, fabricated, fairytale, fairy story, fairy tale, farfetched, feeble, flimsy, gloss, implausible, inexcusable, inexcusably, likely, mitigation, nonfeasance, otiose, pardon, plead, pointless, song and dance, superfluous, trot out, unjustifiably, vamp, vamp up, wash, wasted

absolve, bespeak, call for, defence, defend, defense, fend for, forgive, free, quest, request, support, vindicate, vindication

apologise, apologize, beg off, exempt, explain, let off, rationalize, relieve, self-justification