In a war or a military emergency, a sick child is not an acceptable excuse for staying home.

They were planning their wedding, visiting his parents in Quebec, all acceptable excuses.

The fact that the problems were not at the federal level was not considered an acceptable excuse.

Possible alien attack is one of the few acceptable excuses we could come up with.

Any threat against tribe, territory, or honor is an acceptable excuse for battle.

It went on to state the only three acceptable excuses: physical infirmity, retirement or death.

But, he added, the variation does not qualify as an acceptable excuse.

Perhaps they are ill, an acceptable excuse for not showing up when summoned.

Death is the one acceptable excuse for not carrying out an obligation.

He balked at that, and I could see him searching his mind for some sort of acceptable excuse.