| extenuation(noun, reason, trick, explanation, excuse) |
| face(noun, cause, con, excuse, pretense) |
| fig leaf(noun, expression, cause, con, excuse) |
| fish story(noun, expression, reason, trick, excuse) |
| jive(noun, reason, trick, explanation, excuse) |
| justification(noun, reason, trick, explanation, excuse) |
| makeshift(noun, reason, trick, explanation, excuse) |
| masquerade(noun, cause, con, excuse, pretense) |
| mitigation(noun, reason, trick, explanation, excuse) |
| ploy(noun, cause, con, excuse, pretense) |
| rationalization(noun, reason, trick, explanation, excuse) |
| reason(noun, trick, explanation, excuse, dodge) |
| red herring(noun, expression, cause, con, excuse) |
| regrets(noun, reason, trick, explanation, excuse) |
| ruse(noun, cause, con, excuse, dodge) |
| shift(noun, reason, trick, explanation, excuse) |
| simulation(noun, cause, con, excuse, pretense) |
| song(noun, reason, trick, explanation, excuse) |
| stopgap(noun, reason, trick, explanation, excuse) |
| story(noun, reason, trick, explanation, excuse) |