excused; excusing
1
a
: to make apology for
b
: to try to remove blame from
2
: to forgive entirely or disregard as of trivial import : regard as excusable
graciously excused his tardiness
3
a
: to grant exemption or release to
was excused from jury duty
b
: to allow to leave
excused the class
4
: to serve as excuse for : justify
nothing can excuse such neglect
excusableness
noun
excuser
noun
Synonyms
Examples of excuse in a Sentence
Verb
His boss excused the mistake but told him to be more careful next time.
Please excuse me for not calling sooner.
I was excused from jury duty.
The teacher excused the class from homework that day.
Nothing can excuse that kind of rudeness.
Her father's illness excused her absence.
Noun
What's your excuse for being so late?
She had no valid excuse for not finishing her homework.
He's always making excuses for himself.
I made my excuses and left.
His birthday gives us a good excuse for a party.
Recent Examples on the Web
Jenna Sundel, Newsweek, 21 Nov. 2024
But what about the millions of people who’ve already had their debt excused over the past four years?
—Annie Nova, CNBC, 20 Nov. 2024
R. Eric Thomas, The Mercury News, 4 Nov. 2024
In social situations, redirect the conversation to some other topic (or come up with a polite excuse to exit).
—Angela Haupt, TIME, 31 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for excuse 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Verb
The jury deliberated for two hours before being excused for the night.
—Jenna Sundel, Newsweek, 21 Nov. 2024
But what about the millions of people who’ve already had their debt excused over the past four years?
—Annie Nova, CNBC, 20 Nov. 2024
Noun
Even if a more irritable side of her personality has emerged, there’s no excuse for cruelty.
—R. Eric Thomas, The Mercury News, 4 Nov. 2024
In social situations, redirect the conversation to some other topic (or come up with a polite excuse to exit).
—Angela Haupt, TIME, 31 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for excuse
Articles Related to excuse
Dictionary Entries Near excuse
Cite this Entry
“Excuse.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/excuse. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
excuse
1 of 2 verb
ex·cuse
ik-ˈskyüz 
excused; excusing
1
: to make apology for
excused myself for being late
2
: to overlook or dismiss as of little importance
excuse a mistake
3
a
: to release from doing something
excused the class from homework
b
: to allow to leave
excused the sick student from class
4
: to be an acceptable reason for : justify
nothing excuses bad manners
excuse
2 of 2 noun
ex·cuse
ik-ˈskyüs
1
: the act of excusing
2
a
: something offered as a reason for being excused
b
: a note that explains an absence
3
: something that excuses or is a reason for excusing
Legal Definition
excuse
2 of 2 noun
ex·cuse
ik-ˈskyüs
1
: excusal
2
a
: a circumstance that allows for release under the law from an obligation, duty, or contractual liability compare act of god, force majeure, fortuitous event, impossibility of performance
b
: a circumstance (as a physical threat) that grants immunity for otherwise tortious or criminal conduct compare justification, privilege
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