Excuse
verb
To forgive someone for a mistake, failure, or offense.
I excuse him for his late arrival.
Often appears as...
- excuse me
- excuse him
noun
A reason or explanation put forward to defend or justify a fault or offense.
His main excuse for being late was the heavy traffic.
Often appears as...
- make an excuse
- find an excuse
verb
To serve as a reason to lessen blame attached to a fault.
His low blood sugar can excuse his irritable behavior.
Often appears as...
- excuse behavior
- excuse performance
interjection
Used to get someone's attention politely, especially when you want to ask a question, interrupt or apologize.
Excuse me, could you tell me how to get to the bus station?
Often appears as...
- excuse me
- sir/madam
verb
To release from an obligation, duty, promise, etc.
She was excused from her duties due to her illness.
Often appears as...
- excused from duty
- excused from obligations
noun
Used as a polite request to repeat a statement or instruction.
Excuse me, could you say that again?
Often appears as...
- excuse me
- pardon
verb
To forgive someone for a mistake, failure, or offense.
I excuse him for his late arrival.
Often appears as...
- excuse me
- excuse him
noun
A reason or explanation put forward to defend or justify a fault or offense.
His main excuse for being late was the heavy traffic.
Often appears as...
- make an excuse
- find an excuse
verb
To serve as a reason to lessen blame attached to a fault.
His low blood sugar can excuse his irritable behavior.
Often appears as...
- excuse behavior
- excuse performance
interjection
Used to get someone's attention politely, especially when you want to ask a question, interrupt or apologize.
Excuse me, could you tell me how to get to the bus station?
Often appears as...
- excuse me
- sir/madam
verb
To release from an obligation, duty, promise, etc.
She was excused from her duties due to her illness.
Often appears as...
- excused from duty
- excused from obligations
noun
Used as a polite request to repeat a statement or instruction.
Excuse me, could you say that again?
Often appears as...
- excuse me
- pardon
Definition 1 of 6
Pro Tip 1/2Social Etiquette
Used when acknowledging an apology, showing you don't hold a grudge.
No worries, I excuse your mistake this time.
Pro Tip 2/2Sincerity Matters
When forgiving, your tone should convey genuine understanding, not sarcasm.
It's okay, I excuse you; everyone makes errors.
Pro Tip 1/2Social Etiquette
Used when acknowledging an apology, showing you don't hold a grudge.
No worries, I excuse your mistake this time.
Pro Tip 2/2Sincerity Matters
When forgiving, your tone should convey genuine understanding, not sarcasm.
It's okay, I excuse you; everyone makes errors.
Pro Tip 1/2Social Etiquette
Used when acknowledging an apology, showing you don't hold a grudge.
No worries, I excuse your mistake this time.
Pro Tip 2/2Sincerity Matters
When forgiving, your tone should convey genuine understanding, not sarcasm.
It's okay, I excuse you; everyone makes errors.
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Video examples
Drew Dudley: Everyday...
You're just one of the people who hasn't been told. It's scary to think of ourselves as that powerful, frightening to think we can matter that much to other people. As long as we make leadership something bigger than us, as long as we keep leadership beyond us and make it about changing the world, we give ourselves an excuse not to expect it every day,
Video examples
Can you solve the dragon...
you decide to offer your life’s savings to one of the regulation wizards in return for the information, giving him your blank scorecard to fill out. But before he can finish, your boss walks into the tent. You barely manage to hide the scorecard in time, and the wizard excuses himself. Your boss chuckles.
Video examples
Larry Smith: Why you...
You're too lazy to do it. It's too hard. You're afraid if you look for your passion and don't find it, you'll feel like you're an idiot, so then you make excuses about why you're not going to look for your passion. They are excuses, ladies and gentlemen. We're going to go through a whole long list --
Video examples
How movies teach manhood...
It totally dominated her imagination for months. Her favorite character was Glinda, of course. It gave her a great excuse to wear a sparkly dress and carry a wand. But you watch that movie enough times, and you start to realize how unusual it is. Now we live today, and are raising our children,
Video examples
Flooding A Desert PIPE Tiny...
actually one of most exciting things about working on tiny Giants was taking the viewer down into the world that these animals live and it's a tiny world where the physics of the world and the nature of the world looks completely different and I think one of the excuses
Video examples
Can you really tell if a...
with children all over the world. Here is an example. So in this game, we asked children to guess the numbers on the cards. And we tell them if they win the game, they are going to get a big prize. But in the middle of the game, we make an excuse and leave the room.
Video examples
Mary Roach: 10 things...
that this is perhaps why men evolved to be such enthusiastic and frequent masturbators. He said, "If I keep tossing myself off I get fresh sperm being made." Which I thought was an interesting idea, theory. So now you have an evolutionary excuse.
Video examples
How math saved my life PIPE...
patterns as things moved and I was absolutely entranced and mesmerised by the fact that this must be how our brain constructs a moving image just like a video camera with individual discrete pictures helped excuse me having a brain
Video examples
Anaconda Babies PIPE...
expels about a dozen orange spheroids these are eggs that never developed into babies although anacondas are the largest snakes in the world this trim down mother hasn't eaten in several months you'll have to excuse her if she
Video examples
Rick Guidotti: From...
I didn't see that coming. Excuse me. Rick So we're using all the visual art to change public perceptions through these great kids. I feel as an artist, it's my responsibility. I know that when I was a kid,
Video examples
Drew Dudley: Everyday...
You're just one of the people who hasn't been told. It's scary to think of ourselves as that powerful, frightening to think we can matter that much to other people. As long as we make leadership something bigger than us, as long as we keep leadership beyond us and make it about changing the world, we give ourselves an excuse not to expect it every day,
Video examples
Can you solve the dragon...
you decide to offer your life’s savings to one of the regulation wizards in return for the information, giving him your blank scorecard to fill out. But before he can finish, your boss walks into the tent. You barely manage to hide the scorecard in time, and the wizard excuses himself. Your boss chuckles.
Video examples
Larry Smith: Why you...
You're too lazy to do it. It's too hard. You're afraid if you look for your passion and don't find it, you'll feel like you're an idiot, so then you make excuses about why you're not going to look for your passion. They are excuses, ladies and gentlemen. We're going to go through a whole long list --
Video examples
How movies teach manhood...
It totally dominated her imagination for months. Her favorite character was Glinda, of course. It gave her a great excuse to wear a sparkly dress and carry a wand. But you watch that movie enough times, and you start to realize how unusual it is. Now we live today, and are raising our children,
Video examples
Flooding A Desert PIPE Tiny...
actually one of most exciting things about working on tiny Giants was taking the viewer down into the world that these animals live and it's a tiny world where the physics of the world and the nature of the world looks completely different and I think one of the excuses
Video examples
Can you really tell if a...
with children all over the world. Here is an example. So in this game, we asked children to guess the numbers on the cards. And we tell them if they win the game, they are going to get a big prize. But in the middle of the game, we make an excuse and leave the room.
Video examples
Mary Roach: 10 things...
that this is perhaps why men evolved to be such enthusiastic and frequent masturbators. He said, "If I keep tossing myself off I get fresh sperm being made." Which I thought was an interesting idea, theory. So now you have an evolutionary excuse.
Video examples
How math saved my life PIPE...
patterns as things moved and I was absolutely entranced and mesmerised by the fact that this must be how our brain constructs a moving image just like a video camera with individual discrete pictures helped excuse me having a brain
Video examples
Anaconda Babies PIPE...
expels about a dozen orange spheroids these are eggs that never developed into babies although anacondas are the largest snakes in the world this trim down mother hasn't eaten in several months you'll have to excuse her if she
Video examples
Rick Guidotti: From...
I didn't see that coming. Excuse me. Rick So we're using all the visual art to change public perceptions through these great kids. I feel as an artist, it's my responsibility. I know that when I was a kid,
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
John Prescott
British Politician
There's no excuse, it's just an opportunity that presented in a limited way and that happened and as soon as the press rang me I didn't deny it I just said 'that's it' and I had to go home and explain it.
Quote examples
Zac Taylor
American Coach
It's all ball, all the time. You have no excuse to not watch anything you've ever wanted to study in your life, especially in the offseason.
Quote examples
Ronald Reagan
American President
Protecting the rights of even the least individual among us is basically the only excuse the government has for even existing.
Quote examples
William Arthur Ward
American Writer
It is wise to direct your anger towards problems - not people; to focus your energies on answers - not excuses.
Quote examples
Eric Greitens
American Politician
Teach your children early not to pass the blame or make excuses, but to take responsibility for their actions.
Quote examples
Jen Sincero
American Author
If you're serious about changing your life, you'll find a way. If you're not, you'll find an excuse.
Quote examples
Robert Kraft
American Businessman
Sometimes, life is unfair, and you have to suck it up and move on and not use it as an excuse.
Quote examples
Joyce Meyer
American Author
Don't give in to excuses that can keep you from really living the best life God has for you.
Quote examples
Marcus Tullius Cicero
Roman Statesman
The only excuse for war is that we may live in peace unharmed.
Quote examples
George Harrison
British Musician
The world used us as an excuse to go mad.
Quote examples
John Prescott
British Politician
There's no excuse, it's just an opportunity that presented in a limited way and that happened and as soon as the press rang me I didn't deny it I just said 'that's it' and I had to go home and explain it.
Quote examples
Zac Taylor
American Coach
It's all ball, all the time. You have no excuse to not watch anything you've ever wanted to study in your life, especially in the offseason.
Quote examples
Ronald Reagan
American President
Protecting the rights of even the least individual among us is basically the only excuse the government has for even existing.
Quote examples
William Arthur Ward
American Writer
It is wise to direct your anger towards problems - not people; to focus your energies on answers - not excuses.
Quote examples
Eric Greitens
American Politician
Teach your children early not to pass the blame or make excuses, but to take responsibility for their actions.
Quote examples
Jen Sincero
American Author
If you're serious about changing your life, you'll find a way. If you're not, you'll find an excuse.
Quote examples
Robert Kraft
American Businessman
Sometimes, life is unfair, and you have to suck it up and move on and not use it as an excuse.
Quote examples
Joyce Meyer
American Author
Don't give in to excuses that can keep you from really living the best life God has for you.
Quote examples
Marcus Tullius Cicero
Roman Statesman
The only excuse for war is that we may live in peace unharmed.
Quote examples
George Harrison
British Musician
The world used us as an excuse to go mad.
Example 1 of 10
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