to relieve or lessen without curing; mitigate; alleviate.

to try to mitigate or conceal the gravity of (an offense) by excuses, apologies, etc.; extenuate.

verb

accuse , blame , condemn

verb

abate , allay , alleviate , apologize for , assuage , camouflage , cloak , conceal , condone , cover , diminish , disguise , dissemble , ease , exculpate , excuse , extenuate , gloze , hide , hush up * , justify , lessen , lighten , make light of , mask , minimize , mitigate , moderate , mollify , prettify , put on a band-aid , qualify , quick fix * , relieve , screen , soften , soothe , sugarcoat * , temper , varnish , veil , veneer , vindicate , white , whiten , whitewash * , explain away , gloss over , sleek over , whitewash , comfort , calm , conciliate , glaze , gloss , lull , sugarcoat