explain away
ɪkˈspleɪn əˈweɪ
Definition Synonyms Conjugation

Definition of explain away - Reverso English Dictionary

Verbal expression

1.
behavioroffer excuses for bad conduct or mistakes
  • He explained away his lateness by blaming the bus schedule.
justify rationalize
2.
downplay significanceminimize the importance of something by explanation
  • She explained away her absence as merely a scheduling error..
downplay minimize trivialize
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Examples of explain away in a sentence

  • He couldn't explain away the missing funds from the account.
  • He tried to explain away the mistake as a simple oversight.
  • They explained away the delay by blaming the traffic.

View all translations of explain away

Click below to see the appropriate translations facing each meaning.
  1. French:justifier, minimiser, ...
  2. German:rechtfertigen, herunterspielen, ...
  3. Italian:giustificare, sminuire, ...
  4. Spanish:justificar, restar importancia, ...
  5. Portuguese:justificar, minimizar, ...
  6. Chinese:为...辩解, 辩解, ...
  7. Japanese:言い訳する, 説明して片付ける, ...
  8. Arabic:بَرَّرَ, هَوَّنَ مِن, ...
  9. Hebrew:לְתָרֵץ, לְהַמְעִיט בַּחֲשִׁיבוּת בְּאֶמְצָעוּת הֶסְבֵּר, ...
  10. Russian:оправдать, объяснить, ...
  11. Ukrainian:виправдовувати, пояснювати, ...
  12. Hindi:सफाई देना, सफ़ाई देकर टालना, ...

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