excuse on why

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "excuse on why" is not correct in standard written English.
It is typically used when someone is trying to provide a reason or justification for an action or behavior. Example: "I need an excuse on why you were late to the meeting."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

"The usual process is police will run up on me, come up with an excuse on why they arrested me — or sometimes they don't even have an excuse — demand that I get up against a wall," he said.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

At the last minute he came up with excuses on why he couldn't be in the House of Commons to answer questions Mr Balls set out in a letter asking for point-by-point clarification of his spending plans and which essential services would be slashed to obtain an (unnecessary) budget surplus.

Independent

To all of those who have been haranguing me with their excuses on why in Six Nations rugby you cannot possibly play running rugby – because of the weather, the tradition, the games are too tense, the referees are different – the weekend's games proved that those excuses are a crock of lies.

The Guardian - Sport

8. How do we stop the excuses on why we cannot teach it?

Huffington Post

"My husband and I both feel that what Cook County did is, once they found DNA, instead of pursuing [the suspect] Michael [Gargiulo], they made false excuses on why DNA was on her.

Huffington Post

I have never seen an industry where it is fairly standard to have so many convoluted excuses on why the functionality does not work and the deadlines are practically never met.

Huffington Post

I feel like this song can be heavily linked to the last book in the Vampire Academy series, Last Sacrifice, as I feel like this would be the song Rose would make Adrian listen to instead of her awful excuse of why she cheated on him with Dimitri.

The Guardian

Our evenings become a series of up and down the stairs waiting for the next excuse of why they were out of bed, why they were sat on the stairs, why they weren't sleeping.

Huffington Post

Invoking the primal "us vs. them" reflex creates a common enemy and gives an easy excuse for why someone is down on their luck -- "if it wasn't for those pesky outsiders, I'd be doing better".

Huffington Post

People give us their reasons and excuses of why they can't afford our services or why they cannot pay us on time ON A DAILY BASIS!

Huffington Post

Another time I concocted an excuse for why I couldn't go on an all-expenses-paid trip to Switzerland.

The New York Times - Magazine

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Prefer more standard phrases like "reason for", "explanation for", or "justification for" to ensure clarity and grammatical correctness in your writing.

Common error

Avoid using "excuse on why" as it's grammatically unconventional. Opt for clearer alternatives to enhance your writing's precision.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "excuse on why" functions as a prepositional phrase attempting to provide a reason or justification. However, according to Ludwig AI, it's not grammatically correct.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Wiki

33%

Science

34%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "excuse on why" aims to provide a reason or justification, it's grammatically unconventional. Ludwig AI identifies it as incorrect in standard written English. The preferred alternatives are "reason for", "explanation for", or "justification for", especially in formal or professional contexts. Although it appears in sources like The New York Times and Huffington Post, its usage is limited. Sticking to more standard phrasing ensures clearer and more effective communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

reason for

Focuses on the cause or justification for something, rather than a potential justification that might not be valid.

explanation for

Indicates a clarification or justification for an event or action, suggesting a more formal tone.

justification for

Implies a more formal and robust defense of an action or decision.

basis for

Highlights the fundamental reasons or grounds upon which something is based.

rationale behind

Emphasizes the logical reasoning or set of principles underlying a decision or action.

grounds for

Refers to the specific reasons or legal basis that support a particular action or decision.

purpose of

Highlights the intended aim or goal behind an action or object.

motivation for

Focuses on the driving force or incentive behind a specific behavior or decision.

the why behind

Informal expression that points to the cause of an event or action.

the cause of

Directly states the reason something happened. Similar meaning with a different word choice.

FAQs

What is a better way to say "excuse on why"?

Consider using phrases like "reason for", "explanation for", or "justification for" as alternatives to "excuse on why". These options provide greater clarity and are grammatically sound.

Is the phrase "excuse on why" grammatically correct?

No, the phrase "excuse on why" is not considered grammatically correct in standard English. It's better to use "reason for", "explanation for", or similar alternatives.

When is it appropriate to use "excuse on why"?

While "excuse on why" might be understood in very informal contexts, it's generally best to avoid it in formal or professional writing. Use phrases such as "reason for" or "explanation for".

What does "excuse on why" mean?

"Excuse on why" is intended to mean the reason or justification for something. However, it's not a standard English phrase. You can use "reason for" or "justification for" to express this more effectively.