justification

American  

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

noun

1. a reason, fact, circumstance, or explanation that justifies or defends.

   His insulting you was ample justification for you to leave the party.

2. an act of justifying.

   The painter's justification of his failure to finish on time didn't impress me.

3. the state of being justified.

4. 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.

5. 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.

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justification British  

/ ˌdʒʌstɪfɪˈkeɪʃən /

noun

1. reasonable grounds for complaint, defence, etc

2. the act of justifying; proof, vindication, or exculpation

3. theol

   1. the act of justifying

   2. the process of being justified or the condition of having been justified

4. Also called: justification by faith.  Protestant theol the doctrine that God vindicates only those who repent and believe in Jesus

5. printing computing the process of adjusting interword spacing in text or data so that both right and left margins are straight

6. computing the process of moving data right or left so that the first or last character occurs in a predefined position

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Other Word Forms

• prejustification
  noun
• rejustification
  noun
• superjustification
  noun

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.

Example Sentences

Its justification is that it will ultimately protect children - despite doctors, human rights organisations and Indigenous groups disputing that.

From BBC • May 15, 2026

"With sufficient justification, appropriate dosage form, and dosing regimen, creatine may eventually be recognized as an over-the-counter therapeutic agent rather than merely a dietary supplement."

From Science Daily • May 4, 2026

"With profound sorrow, we must assume political responsibility for this tactical error, which has no justification whatsoever," the statement read.

From Barron's • Apr. 29, 2026

It happens gradually, one justification at a time, until a line that once felt obvious doesn’t feel like a line anymore.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 27, 2026

Poetry was the processing of my thoughts until the slag of justification fell away and I was left with the cold steel truths of life.

From "Between the World and Me" by Ta-Nehisi Coates

Related Words

• apology
• approval
• argument
• basis
• confirmation
• explanation
• pretext
• rationale
• rationalization
• vindication