a range of excuses

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a range of excuses" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when referring to various justifications or reasons someone might give for a particular action or situation. Example: "He provided a range of excuses for why he was late to the meeting, but none of them seemed convincing."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

Schuck said: 'There's a range of excuses that people use to justify their actions and I've heard them all.

The Guardian

Trump's legal team and surrogates have been using a range of excuses to push back on the controversy surrounding the meeting, claiming it wasn't illegal for Trump Jr. to have accepted it; that any campaign, regardless of party, would have accepted such a meeting; or that nothing of note came out of the meeting, meaning that it shouldn't be a matter of interest to the press or public.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

Opponents argue that "research and observation" is a vague category which will give hunters a wide range of "excuses" to hunt – by claiming they are doing a fox population count, for example, or assessing levels of disease in the area.

Independent

Telephone calls to lawmakers' offices on Friday asking about their whereabouts for the hearings during the week produced a wide range of excuses.

The New York Times

Kids will need to come up with a new range of excuses for not doing their homework: the family dog cannot be blamed for eating a computer, nor can a file hosted on a cloud network be left behind on a bus.The education ministry also plans to use the network to offer online classes for children who are too ill to attend school.

The Economist

If someone in the group isn't down with the cost breakdown, the app makes it possible to protest from a range of pre-populated excuses like, "I'm conventionally unattractive," "I was a middle child," "I'm aware of my privilege," "I spent $400 on improv classes" and "this isn't an issue anymore".

TechCrunch

The popular hashtag was accompanied by a range of tongue-in-cheek excuses as to why users couldn't give up their time for others.

Huffington Post

Recently, when I voiced my displeasure on social media about this practice, I got the full range of excuses.

The Guardian - Opinion

Of course, time constraints may be a symptom of a larger institutional problem reflecting lack of support from higher levels, or may have been a convenient excuse for a range of other obstacles.

BMC Medical Education

With the arrest came a range of charges including "trespass, remaining on enclosed land without lawful excuse and hindering the working of mining equipment".

Vice

As can be seen, the model itself also taps into a range of situational prevention strategies, such as increasing efforts, increasing risks and removing excuses.

Crime Science

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "a range of excuses", ensure the context clearly indicates whether these excuses are genuine or insincere. The phrase itself is neutral, but the surrounding text can add nuance.

Common error

Avoid relying too heavily on "a range of excuses" when describing situations. Instead, provide specific examples of the excuses to add clarity and credibility to your writing.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a range of excuses" functions as a noun phrase. It typically serves as the object or complement in a sentence, describing the existence of multiple justifications. As confirmed by Ludwig, the expression is considered grammatically correct and commonly used.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Wiki

30%

Science

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

7%

Reference

5%

Encyclopedias

3%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a range of excuses" is a grammatically correct and commonly used phrase that indicates multiple justifications or reasons, as supported by Ludwig AI. While the phrase itself is neutral, its context can add nuance regarding the sincerity of the excuses. This expression appears most frequently in News & Media, Wiki, and Science contexts. When using this phrase, consider providing specific examples for better clarity and impact. Alternatives like "a variety of justifications" or "an array of rationales" can offer similar meanings with slight variations in emphasis.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a variety of justifications

Emphasizes the diversity in the provided reasons.

an array of rationales

Highlights a structured collection of explanations.

a multitude of pretexts

Suggests numerous underlying reasons, possibly deceptive.

a series of defenses

Implies an attempt to justify or protect against criticism.

a collection of alibis

Specifically refers to reasons offered to avoid blame.

a catalog of explanations

Conveys a comprehensive list of reasons.

a spectrum of reasons

Highlights a diverse and broad set of reasons.

a basket of justifications

Suggests a collection of varying quality or relevance.

a cluster of defenses

Implies a grouping of protective arguments.

a compilation of pretexts

Focuses on gathering potentially false or misleading reasons.

FAQs

How can I use "a range of excuses" in a sentence?

You can use "a range of excuses" to describe multiple justifications or reasons given for a particular action or situation. For example, "The company offered "a range of excuses" for the product delay."

What can I say instead of "a range of excuses"?

You can use alternatives like "a variety of justifications", "an array of rationales", or "a multitude of pretexts" depending on the context.

Is it better to list specific excuses instead of using "a range of excuses"?

Listing specific excuses provides more detail and can make your writing more persuasive. However, "a range of excuses" can be useful when you want to generally indicate that multiple justifications were offered without going into detail.

What's the difference between "a range of excuses" and "a list of excuses"?

"A range of excuses" suggests a diverse or varied set of reasons, while "a list of excuses" simply implies an itemized collection. The former emphasizes variety, while the latter emphasizes enumeration.