excuse, condone, pardon, forgive mean to exact neither punishment nor redress.

excuse may refer to specific acts especially in social or conventional situations or the person responsible for these.

Often the term implies extenuating circumstances.

condone implies that one overlooks without censure behavior (such as dishonesty or violence) that involves a serious breach of a moral, ethical, or legal code, and the term may refer to the behavior or to the agent responsible for it.

pardon implies that one remits a penalty due for an admitted or established offense.

forgive implies that one gives up all claim to requital and to resentment or vengeful feelings.

apology, apologia, excuse, plea, pretext, alibi mean matter offered in explanation or defense.

apology usually applies to an expression of regret for a mistake or wrong with implied admission of guilt or fault and with or without reference to mitigating or extenuating circumstances.

apologia implies not admission of guilt or regret but a desire to make clear the grounds for some course, belief, or position.

excuse implies an intent to avoid or remove blame or censure.

plea stresses argument or appeal for understanding or sympathy or mercy.

pretext suggests subterfuge and the offering of false reasons or motives in excuse or explanation.

alibi implies a desire to shift blame or evade punishment and imputes mere plausibility to the explanation.