self-justification

American  

[self-juhs-tuh-fi-key-shuhn, self-] / ˈsɛlfˌdʒʌs tə fɪˈkeɪ ʃən, ˌsɛlf- /

noun

1. the act or fact of justifying oneself, especially of offering excessive reasons, explanations, excuses, etc., for an act, thought, or the like.

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self-justification British  

noun

1. the act or an instance of justifying or providing excuses for one's own behaviour, etc

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Etymology

Origin of self-justification

First recorded in 1765–75

Example Sentences

During his time in prison he was visited by his two-year-old daughter, whose arrival had given him the motivation, or perhaps self-justification, to turn to the fixers in the first place.

From BBC • Sep. 9, 2024

While Herschel isn’t really learning from each new mistake for much of the book, his interior searching gives Lipstein a chance to offer up thought-provoking commentary, even when it feels like self-justification.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 14, 2023

The speech was full of emotion and self-justification, yet empty of information.

From Seattle Times • May 9, 2022

Mann spent the bulk of the war years stewing over this offense and composing an extended self-justification, “Reflections of a Nonpolitical Man,” which he completed just in time for the armistice.

From New York Times • Sep. 17, 2021

“But I did get to speak to him,” the chaplain argued in a plaintive tone of self-justification.

From "Catch-22" by Joseph Heller