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What is "extenuating"

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
extenuating
adjective
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES
extenuating/mitigating circumstances (=conditions that make it reasonable for someone to break the rules or law)
▪ Hunger and poverty are not treated by the courts as extenuating circumstances.
EXAMPLES FROM CORPUS
▪ A terrifying warning was occasionally administered in cases where extenuating circumstances existed.
▪ Goodstein suggested that this eased by talking about extenuating circumstances.
▪ Hunger and poverty, the main reasons for their poaching, are not treated by the courts as extenuating circumstances.
The Collaborative International Dictionary
extenuating

extenuating \extenuating\ adj. serving or tending to reduce the severity of guilt or blameworthiness; as, extenuating circumstances.

Syn: mitigating.

Wiktionary
extenuating

  1. That lessens the seriousness of something by providing an excuse v

  2. (present participle of extenuate English)

Related phrases:
WordNet
extenuating

adj. partially excusing or justifying; "extenuating circumstances"

Usage examples of "extenuating".

These facts are not meant to suggest extenuating circumstances for what happened.

Perhaps they were suffering from battle fatigue, which the Army recognizes under Article 118 as extenuating circumstances for murder.

I think the pre-sentencing presentation of extenuating circumstances is ultimately more important than the verdict in a case like this.

Corva, he is attempting to establish what he believes are extenuating and mitigating circumstances for the crime which you have proven.

I understand that the Code specifically recognizes combat fatigue and all that this term implies as an extenuating factor in cases such as these.

Corva, asked me if I would like to make a sworn statement in extenuation or mitigation on my own behalf, I told him I could think of no extenuating or mitigating circumstances that I could swear to.

Those milk-sops on the jury are just capable of according him extenuating circumstances.

What tribunal would fail to find extenuating circumstances for a moment of frenzy so excusable.

His lawyer will often build a defence based on this reason behind the reason and call it an extenuating circumstance.

Not in the name of extenuating circumstances, not in the name of mercy, mother, or God in heaven!

Langley was the scene of strange and eerie doings this day as a voice from the grave was offered as an extenuating circumstance by defence attorney Brice Mack during his opening remarks in the trial of Elliot Hoover, accused kidnapper of ten- year-old Ivy Templeton.

If Othello has played his Ancient false, that is an extenuating circumstance in the otherwise extraordinary guilt of Iago, and would no doubt be accorded to him as such, were he on trial before a French jury.

She was found guilty in the full degree, but to Gaudry were accorded extenuating circumstances.

Not only was Fenayrou accorded extenuating circumstances, but Lucien was acquitted altogether.

But, in asking a verdict without extenuating circumstances against the woman, the Procureur-General was by no means insistent.