threadbare excuse

Translations
избитая отговорка
He gave a threadbare excuse for being late.
Он дал избитую отговорку за опоздание.
Definitions
A threadbare excuse refers to a justification or explanation that is weak, flimsy, or lacking in substance, often because it has been used too many times or is no longer credible.
Words
threadbare

adjective
избитый
excuse

noun
отговорка