excuse, explain away, extenuate, gloss (over), gloze (over), palliate, whitewash

sugarcoat, varnishapologize, atone, confessaccount (for), explain, justify, rationalizeminimize, play down, soft-pedalalleviate, ease, lessen, lighten, mitigate, moderate, soften, temperabsolve, acquit, clear, exculpate, exonerate, vindicate