justification

[juhs-tuh-fi-key-shuhn] / ˌdʒʌs tə fɪˈkeɪ ʃən /

NOUN

reason, excuse

Synonyms

STRONGEST

apology approval argument basis confirmation explanation pretext rationale rationalization vindication

STRONG

absolution account acquittal advocacy answer apologia cop-out defense exculpation exoneration extenuation grounds idea mitigation palliation palliative plea rebuttal reply response sanctification story support validation warrant wherefore

WEAK

raison d'être song and dance whatfor whitewashing whole idea why and wherefore

Antonyms

STRONGEST

charge indictment opposition

STRONG

question request sentence

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Unlike past bubble setups, the market hasn’t been flooded with tech IPOs, with those to come likely to offer justification for differentiating within the sector.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 7, 2026

“Literally thousands of nominations with absolutely no justification for why it needed to be there.”

From Salon • Apr. 4, 2026

The only justification, they calculated, would be an imminent threat, especially information that Iran was close to creating a nuclear weapon.

From BBC • Mar. 28, 2026

Any justification now will just be an attempt to cover up the reality that these arrests were being done without any known agency guidance in the first place.

From Slate • Mar. 27, 2026

In the era of colorblindness, it is no longer socially permissible to use race, explicitly, as a justification for discrimination, exclusion, and social contempt.

From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander

justification

Example Sentences

Related Words