PHRASAL VERB 为…辩解；搪塞 If someone explains away a mistake or a bad situation they are responsible for, they try to indicate that it is unimportant or that it is not really their fault. 为…辩解；搪塞
He evaded her questions about the war and tried to explain away the atrocities. [VERBPREP. noun]
他回避了她有关战争的问题，极力为那些暴行辩解。
I had noticed blood on my husband's clothing but he explained it away. [VERB noun PREP.]