"Alibi" is a semi-common word with a formal, legal tone. It's most often found in discussions of crimes and courtrooms: "He gave a solid alibi and went free;" "They couldn't come up with an alibi."

But it's also great for general use. Personally, I think it's an odd, beautiful, fancy-looking word, and I love its sound. It can be a surprising, overly-formal synonym of "excuse" or "cover story," like it is in the song "Big Girls Don't Cry" by the Four Seasons:

"Big girls don't cry. They don't cry.
Big girls don't cry. That's just an alibi."

You might talk about kids, students, or employees inventing alibis. Even before they need them: sneaky! Check out the example down below from Samira Ahmed's hilarious novel.

Lastly, I should point out that some language purists will clutch their pearls when I say it's totally okee-dokee to use the word "alibi" as a silly synonym of "excuse." Harold Evans, for example, listed "alibi" in his "35 words you’re (probably) getting wrong," claiming that it only means "'proof that one was elsewhere' but is confused with 'excuse.'" Dictionaries disagree, though. The OED notes that "alibi" can also mean "an excuse, pretext, or justification," citing published examples dating back to 1857. If you show that OED entry to purists like Evans, though, they rant and rave that the dictionaries are wrong, or too permissive. I recommend never getting into a dispute with a purist. Just nod your head respectfully and back away slowly.

"[Forensic] soil evidence regularly leads to bodies, overturns alibis and reveals the origins of artefacts."
   — Chelsea Wald, Nature, 21 April 2015

"[Mom] heads toward the door. 'What are you doing tomorrow?'
My pulse quickens as I make up an alibi. 'Sleep in. Then maybe go to a movie or the mall if any of my friends are around.'"  
   — Samira Ahmed, Love, Hate and Other Filters, 2018

has this page helped you understand "alibi"?

Awesome, I'm glad it helped!

Thanks for letting me know!
If you have any questions about this word, please message me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com.

study it:

Explain the meaning of "alibi" without saying "defense" or "cover story."

try it out:

Above is a snippet from a beloved old list of "don'ts" for the sport of tennis, widely attributed to the tennis star Bill Tilden. It offers advice for strong playing and good sportsmanship. 

"Don't offer alibis for losing" seems a particularly good bit of advice!

Talk about what it means to "offer alibis" for a poor performance, either in a sport you enjoy or in some other game or pursuit that matters to you. Why is it a bad habit? What's a better way to respond to your own poor performances?

If you like, use this space to write. (To save your work, copy and paste it into an email or a document.)

before you review, play:

Try to spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—first, let your working memory empty out.

Our game this month is "Name that Sketchplanation!"

Check out the sketch below, created by Jono Hey at Sketchplanations.com.

Focus on the title, and see if you can come up with the word or phrase that belongs in the blurry spot. It'll be one we've studied before.

See the answer on the original Sketchplanation!

And if you like, review the word here.

review this word:

1. A near opposite of an ALIBI is

A. a DISPLAY.
B. a CONFESSION.
C. a DEFENESTRATION (an act of tossing something out a window).

2. In Catching Fire, Katniss narrates, "My mother and Prim _____. I need to work up some sort of alibi, no matter how thin."

A. can't know I was in the woods
B. have blonde hair and blue eyes, unlike mine
C. donate their winnings to the poor in District 11

Answers to the review questions: 1. B 2. A

a final word:

I hope you're enjoying Make Your Point. It's made with love. I'm Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words. From my blog: On vocabulary...       36 ways to study words.       Why we forget words, & how to remember them.       How to use sophisticated words without being awkward. On writing...       How to improve any sentence.       How to motivate our kids to write.       How to stop procrastinating and start writing.       How to bulk up your writing when you have to meet a word count. From my heart: a profound thanks to the generous patrons, donors, and sponsors that make it possible for me to write these emails. If you'd like to be a patron or a donor, please click here. If you'd like to be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com. A disclaimer: When I write definitions, I use plain language and stick to the words' common, useful applications. If you're interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words, I encourage you to check a dictionary. Also, because I'm American, I stick to American English when I share words' meanings, usage, and pronunciations; these elements sometimes vary across world Englishes.