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1. Granted exemption
   "one of the excused jurors planned to write a book"

1. Accept an excuse for
   "Please excuse my dirty hands"
   - pardon
    
2. Grant exemption or release to
   "Please excuse me from this class"
   - relieve, let off, exempt
    
3. Serve as a reason or cause or justification of
   "Your need to sleep late does not excuse your late arrival at work"
   - explain
    
4. Defend, explain, clear away, or make excuses for by reasoning
   "excuse the child's seemingly crazy behaviour"
   - apologize, apologise [Brit], justify, rationalize, rationalise [Brit]
    
5. Ask for permission to be released from an engagement
   - beg off
    
6. Excuse, overlook, or make allowances for; be lenient with
   "excuse someone's behaviour"
   - condone

See also: excusatory, excuser, exempt

Type of: absolve, bespeak, call for, defend, fend for, forgive, free, justify, pardon, quest, request, support, vindicate

Encyclopedia: Excuse