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excuse

Pronunciation: [ɪkˈskjus]

Word

Learn how to use excuse in a sentence: 9 audio examples across 3 meanings.

Context: “communication”

(noun) a reason that you give for not doing something or a reason someone gives for their behavior. An excuse helps explain why something happened or why someone could not go to an event.

Example

I accepted her excuse for being late because she got stuck in traffic.

Example

His excuse for missing the meeting didn’t seem believable to anyone.

Example

What excuse did you give for not finishing your homework?

Context: “communication”

(verb) to explain why something happened or to try to make someone believe that a mistake is not serious. When you excuse someone, you let them off the hook for something they did.

Example

I will excuse your absence since you were feeling unwell.

Example

You can't just excuse bad behavior; it needs to be addressed.

Example

Can you excuse me for being late to the meeting?

Context: “request”

(verb) to politely ask someone to forgive a mistake or poor behavior. It's like saying, "Please forgive me" for a small mistake.

Example

Please excuse me for spilling my drink; I didn’t mean to make a mess.

Example

Don’t excuse her rudeness; it's not acceptable to speak that way.

Example

Can you excuse my mistakes in this project?

How to pronounce excuse

Pronunciation: [ɪkˈskjus]

Listen and repeat as many times as you need.

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