excuses, explains away, extenuates, glosses (over), glozes (over), palliates, whitewashes
sugarcoats, varnishesapologizes, atones, confessesaccounts (for), explains, justifies, rationalizesminimizes, plays down, soft-pedalsalleviates, eases, lessens, lightens, mitigates, moderates, softens, tempersabsolves, acquits, clears, exculpates, exonerates, vindicates