explain away

It means to try and make a mistake or problem seem less important by giving excuses. You're essentially trying to make the fault disappear with words, hoping people won't focus on it too much. It often implies the explanation isn't very convincing.

It's generally considered negative or at least neutral-to-negative. It suggests that the person giving the explanation is avoiding responsibility or downplaying something that should be taken more seriously. It implies the reasons given are weak excuses.

Yes, you can definitely use it about yourself! For example, 'I tried to explain away why I was late, but my boss wasn't buying it.' This shows you're aware you're making excuses.

Use it when you observe someone making excuses for a mistake or problem. For instance, 'He kept trying to explain away his terrible performance during the game.' You can also use it to describe your own attempts at making excuses.

It's common in situations involving blame or accountability. Think of a politician making a gaffe and their team trying to explain away the comments, or a student getting a bad grade and trying to explain away their poor study habits.

It can be used, but carefully. In a formal report, you might say 'the factors contributing to the delay were analyzed,' rather than 'we tried to explain away the delay.' However, in a less formal workplace discussion or email, it might be acceptable, especially if you're contrasting it with genuine accountability.

'Justify' means to show that something is right or reasonable, often with strong evidence. 'Explain away,' on the other hand, implies making weak excuses to minimize blame. You justify a decision; you explain away a mistake.

Rationalizing involves creating logical-sounding reasons, often to convince yourself or others that unacceptable behavior is okay. Explain away is similar but often focuses more on simply making excuses to lessen the impact of a mistake, rather than constructing a full logical defense.

The phrase explain away is widely understood in both American and British English, and its core meaning remains consistent. You might find slight variations in frequency of use, but the fundamental concept of making excuses is the same.

They are very similar! 'To excuse' means to forgive someone or to offer a reason for their behavior. 'To explain away' specifically focuses on the act of *giving* those excuses, often implying they are not very convincing and the goal is to minimize the fault.

A frequent mistake is using 'explain away' when a simple 'explain' is needed. For example, saying 'She explained away the solution' instead of 'She explained the solution.' The 'away' part is crucial for the meaning of making excuses.

Sure! Imagine someone showing up very late to work. They might try to explain away their lateness by saying, 'Oh, my goldfish looked sad this morning and needed extra attention.' That's clearly a weak, unconvincing excuse meant to minimize their tardiness.

The 'away' adds the crucial nuance of dismissal or removal. You're not just clarifying something; you're trying to make the problem or fault 'go away' by offering excuses. It suggests an attempt to distance oneself from the negative consequences.

Generally, no. For serious mistakes, taking responsibility and offering a sincere apology is much better than trying to explain away the consequences. Using this phrase for major errors can seem disrespectful or insincere.

You might see it in comments or captions, often humorously. For example, 'Spilled my latte all over my keyboard... trying to explain away this disaster with a witty caption! #fail' It's used to acknowledge a mishap lightheartedly.

It reflects a cultural tendency to avoid direct confrontation or admitting fault, prioritizing 'saving face' or maintaining social harmony over absolute honesty. It's a way to navigate social accountability subtly.

Absolutely! Someone might say, 'He tried to explain away his terrible singing by blaming the microphone,' with a tone that clearly indicates they don't believe the excuse at all. Irony is common with this phrase.

In formal contexts, you'd typically use phrases like 'to account for,' 'to address,' 'to provide reasons for,' or 'to attribute.' For example, instead of 'The CEO tried to explain away the losses,' you might say, 'The CEO attempted to account for the company's financial losses.'