alibi

noun
UK: /ˈæl.ɪ.baɪ/
US: /ˈæl.ə.baɪ/

  1. Proof that someone was in another place when a crime happened.

    1. He had an alibi, so the police let him go. [ ] [ ]
    2. The suspect's alibi seemed airtight, placing him miles away from the crime scene during the critical hours. [ ] [ ]

  2. An excuse to avoid blame or justify an action.

    1. Late again? What's your alibi this time? [ ] [ ]
    2. The team's poor performance was offered with an alibi, the coach citing injuries to key players. [ ] [ ]

Synonyms

excuse explanation justification defense
alibi verb

  1. To offer an excuse for something.

    1. She alibied her absence, saying she was sick. [ ] [ ]
    2. He tried to alibi his failure by blaming external factors beyond his control. [ ] [ ]

  2. To provide an alibi for someone; to prove someone was elsewhere.

    1. Can you alibi me for last night? [ ] [ ]
    2. His friend agreed to alibi him, falsely claiming they were together all evening. [ ] [ ]

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "alibi" in English means: Proof that someone was in another place when a crime happened., An excuse to avoid blame or justify an action..

The phonetic transcription of "alibi" is /ˈæl.ɪ.baɪ/ in British English and /ˈæl.ə.baɪ/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "alibi": excuse, explanation, justification, defense.

Example usage of "alibi": "He had an alibi, so the police let him go.". More examples on the page.