Exculpation - Definition
exculpation
n 1: a defense of some offensive behavior or some failure to
keep a promise etc.; "he kept finding excuses to stay";
"every day he had a new alibi for not getting a job"; "his
transparent self-justification was unacceptable" [syn:
excuse, alibi, exculpation, self-justification]
2: the act of freeing from guilt or blame