What is the difference between extenuate and justify?

Definitions

extenuate

- Describing a situation where the severity of an offense or mistake is reduced.

- Referring to the act of making an excuse or providing a reason for a mistake or wrongdoing.

- Talking about lessening the impact of something negative by providing context or explanation.

justify

- Referring to the act of proving or showing that something is right or reasonable.

- Describing the process of providing evidence or reasoning to support a decision or action.

- Talking about making a case for something to be accepted or approved.

List of Similarities

• 1. Both involve providing reasons or explanations for something.
• 2. Both can be used to lessen the negative impact of a situation.
• 3. Both can be used to defend one's actions or decisions.
• 4. Both require some form of justification or evidence to support their claims.

What is the difference?

• 1. Purpose: Extenuate is used to reduce the severity of a negative situation, while justify is used to prove the rightness or reasonableness of a decision or action.
• 2. Focus: Extenuate focuses on lessening the impact of something negative, while justify focuses on proving the validity of something positive.
• 3. Context: Extenuate is often used in legal or moral contexts, while justify can be used in a wider range of contexts.
• 4. Connotation: Extenuate can have a negative connotation of making excuses or downplaying wrongdoing, while justify has a more positive connotation of providing evidence or reasoning to support a decision or action.
• 5. Usage: Extenuate is less commonly used than justify in everyday language.

📌

Remember this!

Extenuate and justify are both words used to provide reasons or explanations for something. However, the difference between them lies in their purpose and focus. Extenuate is used to lessen the severity of a negative situation, while justify is used to prove the validity of a positive decision or action. Additionally, extenuate has a negative connotation of making excuses, while justify has a more positive connotation of providing evidence or reasoning to support a decision or action.