apologia

American  

[ap-uh-loh-jee-uh] / ˌæp əˈloʊ dʒi ə /

noun

1. an apology, as in defense or justification of a belief, idea, etc.

2. Literature. a work written as an explanation or justification of one's motives, convictions, or acts.

---

apologia British  

/ ˌæpəˈləʊdʒɪə /

noun

1. a formal written defence of a cause or one's beliefs or conduct

---

Etymology

Origin of apologia

1775–85; < Late Latin < Greek: a speaking in defense. See apo-, log-, -ia

Example Sentences

Murray hired a personal trainer, then “beseeched Roosevelt for a repeat invitation. The apologia and commitment” brought Murray back into Roosevelt’s good graces.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 13, 2026

In no episode has Kelly made this clearer than in the one that ran on Nov. 12, in which she toyed with a bit of Jeffrey Epstein apologia.

From Slate • May 6, 2026

That said, “The Colonel and the King” often reads like a Parker apologia, or at least a concentrated effort to set some records straight.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 3, 2025

This form of rationalization and denial is embarrassingly evident in a recent apologia by David Brooks, the New York Times’ notion of an ideal conservative.

From Salon • Jul. 26, 2025

Such bereavement, witnessed at close range, makes even the most eloquent apologia for high-risk activities ring fatuous and hollow.

From "Into the Wild" by Jon Krakauer