Words similar to excuse

Example sentences for: excuse

How can you use “excuse” in a sentence? Here are some example sentences to help you improve your vocabulary:

Although the Fed rarely changes rates during campaigns, the move was interpreted as benefiting Clinton by denying Dole and Kemp an excuse to a) decry government constriction of the economy; and b) blame Clinton for incipient inflation.
Poorest excuse for a reporter's travel expenses: "Hong Kong Ponders Meaning of Record Rainfall" ( Los Angeles Times ). Pundits agreed that capitalism will continue to flourish there even if democracy doesn't: The New York Times ' Tom Friedman noted that replicas of the "Goddess of Democracy" (erected in 1989 by protesters in Tiananmen Square), which were being peddled by Hong Kong demonstrators, were "Made in China."
The roads were no problem, but it took a year to find an American businessman with an excuse to travel that rail line--and he spoke no Russian.
Third, this framework lends a high-minded legal cast to a low-minded excuse for ignoring the story.
What's our excuse?