Collocations for excuse - noun
1. reason given
ADJECTIVE
perfect,
wonderful
excellent, good, great, legitimate, valid
convincing, decent, plausible, reasonable
acceptable
an acceptable excuse for missing school
excellent, good, great, legitimate, valid
convincing, decent, plausible, reasonable
acceptable
an acceptable excuse for missing school
bad,
feeble,
flimsy,
lame,
lousy (esp. AmE),
pathetic,
poor,
weak
(esp. AmE)
convenient, easy, handy
The children provided a convenient excuse for missing the party.
convenient, easy, handy
The children provided a convenient excuse for missing the party.
dumb (AmE),
ridiculous,
stupid
He made up some stupid excuse to the teachers.
He made up some stupid excuse to the teachers.
standard,
usual
built-in (AmE)
a built-in excuse for failure
built-in (AmE)
a built-in excuse for failure
possible
What possible excuse could he have?
What possible excuse could he have?
every
She seized on every excuse to avoid doing the work.
She seized on every excuse to avoid doing the work.
the slightest
He became moody and unreasonable, flailing out at Katherine at the slightest excuse.
He became moody and unreasonable, flailing out at Katherine at the slightest excuse.
VERB + excuse
have
He had no excuse for being so late.
He had no excuse for being so late.
give,
make,
offer
She made some feeble excuse about the car having broken down.
You don't have to make excuses for her (= try to think of reasons for her actions).
It's late. I'm afraid I'll have to make my excuses (= say I'm sorry, give my reasons and leave).
She made some feeble excuse about the car having broken down.
You don't have to make excuses for her (= try to think of reasons for her actions).
It's late. I'm afraid I'll have to make my excuses (= say I'm sorry, give my reasons and leave).
give sb,
offer sb,
provide (sb with)
Delivering the stuff for George gave me an excuse to take the car.
Her mother's illness provided her with an excuse to stay at home.
Delivering the stuff for George gave me an excuse to take the car.
Her mother's illness provided her with an excuse to stay at home.
need
look for
create, find, invent, make up, think of, think up
She had to find a valid excuse for leaving the room.
He made up a rather lame excuse for the work being late.
look for
create, find, invent, make up, think of, think up
She had to find a valid excuse for leaving the room.
He made up a rather lame excuse for the work being late.
use sth as
The political crisis is being used as an excuse to dock people's pay.
The political crisis is being used as an excuse to dock people's pay.
run out of
He's run out of excuses for not cleaning his room.
He's run out of excuses for not cleaning his room.
become
Don't let perfectionism become an excuse for never getting started.
Don't let perfectionism become an excuse for never getting started.
mumble
Justin mumbled some excuse and left.
Justin mumbled some excuse and left.
accept,
believe,
buy
(informal, esp. AmE)
hear
I don't want to hear any more excuses.
hear
I don't want to hear any more excuses.
reject
PREPOSITION
excuse about
He invented a pathetic excuse about losing his watch.
He invented a pathetic excuse about losing his watch.
excuse for
It's just an excuse for a party.
It's just an excuse for a party.
2. bad example of sth
ADJECTIVE
lousy (esp. AmE),
miserable,
pathetic,
pitiful,
poor,
sad,
sorry
(esp. AmE)
She's a pitiful excuse for an actress.
a sorry excuse for a man
She's a pitiful excuse for an actress.
a sorry excuse for a man