justification
Americannoun
-
justifications
plural
-
a reason, fact, circumstance, or explanation that justifies or defends.
His insulting you was ample justification for you to leave the party.
-
an act of justifying.
The painter's justification of his failure to finish on time didn't impress me.
-
the state of being justified.
-
Also called justification by faith. Theology. the act of God whereby humankind is made or accounted just, or free from guilt or penalty of sin.
-
Printing. the spacing of words and letters within a line of type so that all full lines in a column have even margins both on the left and on the right.
noun
-
reasonable grounds for complaint, defence, etc
-
the act of justifying; proof, vindication, or exculpation
-
theol
-
the act of justifying
-
the process of being justified or the condition of having been justified
-
-
Also called: justification by faith. Protestant theol the doctrine that God vindicates only those who repent and believe in Jesus
-
printing computing the process of adjusting interword spacing in text or data so that both right and left margins are straight
-
computing the process of moving data right or left so that the first or last character occurs in a predefined position
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of justification
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Late Latin jūstificātiōn-, stem of jūstificātiō, from jūstificāt(us) “justified” (past participle of jūstificāre; see justify) + -iō -ion ( def. )
Explanation
Close in meaning to an explanation, a justification is specifically for defending or explaining an event. The idea that he was just trying to scare his little sister was a pretty weak justification for the elaborate gag. Like its close cousin "justice," justification is derived from the Latin justificare, which means "to make right." When you offer a justification, you're trying to make something right—or, perhaps, even just. The notion that animals don't have emotions is one of the key justifications for allowing them to suffer. For many people, though, the fact that they suffer is justification enough to prevent it.
Vocabulary lists containing justification
You Be the Judge: Jud, Jur, Jus
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
A Monster Calls
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
A Lesson Before Dying
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
See Examples For:
Under Austrian law, "a distinction between men and women may only be made if there is a special, objective justification for it", she said.
From Barron's ● Aug. 15, 2026
An upbeat news report explains that rates of teen pregnancy are down, which is a very 1980s justification.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026
Pleasure is never quite sufficient justification for cooking something yourself; the viewer must also understand that the old version was artificial, addictive or imposed upon them by a corrupt system.
From Salon ● Aug. 5, 2026
A better approach would be based on epistemology, the philosophical branch examining the basis of knowledge, truth and critical justification of one’s beliefs.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 30, 2026
She wanted to see Abelman victorious; she would see in the victory some peculiar justification.
From "A Confederacy of Dunces" by John Kennedy Toole
Over seven pages, the Board of Education provided its justifications for Carvalho’s termination, citing allegedly unreported gifts, unreported outside income and donor-funded travel.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 4, 2026
The stewards' justifications for these two different incidents were based on a number of factors, many related to the Formula 1 drivers' guidelines.
From BBC ● Jul. 21, 2026
To be sure, there are justifications for the enthusiasm.
From Barron's ● Apr. 15, 2026
The government’s justifications for the probe “are so thin and unsubstantiated that the Court can only conclude that they are pretextual,” he wrote.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 13, 2026
The reasons and justifications change over time, as each new caste system reflects and adapts to changes in the social, political, and economic context.
From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
