# excuse

> English word · Verb · IPA /ɪkˈskjuːz/ · frequency rank #2,676

## Definitions
1. To forgive; to pardon; to overlook.
2. To allow to leave, or release from any obligation.
3. To provide an excuse for; to justify.
4. To relieve of an imputation by apology or defense; to make apology for as not seriously evil; to ask pardon or indulgence for.

## Etymology
From Middle English excusen (verb) and excuse (noun), borrowed from Old French escuser (verb) and excuse (noun), from Latin excūsō, excūsāre (“to excuse, allege in excuse, literally, free from a charge”), from ex (“out”) + causa (“a charge”); see cause, accuse and recuse. Displaced native Old English lād (“an excuse”) and lādian (“to excuse”).

## Easily confused with
- **exposé** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/excuse-vs-expose)
- **execute** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/excuse-vs-execute)
- **excused** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/excuse-vs-excused)
- **excess** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/excess-vs-excuse)
- **excite** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/excite-vs-excuse)
- **excise** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/excise-vs-excuse)
- **exclude** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/exclude-vs-excuse)

## Common misspellings (8)
`ecxuse`, `exccuse`, `excsue`, `excues`, `excusse`, `exucse`, `exxcuse`, `xecuse`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/excuse