WordGarden.iojustification
C1Pronunciation
UK
- /dʒˌʌstɪfɪkˈeɪʃən/
US
- /ˌdʒəstəfəˈkeɪʃən/
Meanings
Noun
a reason or explanation that shows something is right or acceptable
a legal reason or defense that makes an act lawful or excusable
in Christian theology, the act of being declared righteous by God
More meaningsFewer meanings
the adjustment of text so lines align with a margin or both margins
Beyond the definition
Justification is the act of showing that something is right, fair, or reasonable, like giving a clear explanation for being late or explaining why a certain decision was made. A police officer might need justification for a search, while a student might give justification for turning in an assignment late. It is about giving reasons that support your actions, ideas, or beliefs. Think of it as building a solid base for an argument; if you have strong justification, your point is much harder to challenge.
Imagine you've borrowed a friend's favorite sweater and accidentally spilled coffee on it. You wouldn't just say "Oops!" You'd need to offer a justification—an explanation that attempts to make your actions understandable or even acceptable. Maybe you were rushing to help someone in an emergency? That would be providing a justification for the accident.
Justification is more than simply making excuses; it is about providing reasons or evidence to support a claim, action, belief, or decision. It's often used in formal contexts like law ("the court sought justification for the ruling"), ethics ("he offered no justification for his cruel behavior"), or philosophy ("she questioned the moral justification of war"). In technical fields like typography, it even refers to the specific way text is aligned along a margin to create a straight edge.
The word comes from the Latin justificare, meaning "to make righteous." This hints at its core meaning: to show that something is right, fair, or reasonable. While justification is the noun form used to describe the reasoning itself, the action is expressed through the verb justify—as in, "She tried to justify her actions."
Sometimes, justification isn't about being objectively "right," but about making a perspective understandable. A character in a novel might offer a complex justification for their villainous deeds; even if we don't agree with them, the justification allows us to see the world through their eyes and understand their motivations. Ultimately, whether it's defending your choices, supporting a scientific theory, or explaining a deeply held belief, justification is the bridge between an action and the logic that makes it acceptable.
Examples
- 1
Price increase
The company gave no justification for the sudden price increase.
- 2
Missing a meeting
She had a clear justification for missing the meeting: her train was canceled.
- Patternjustification for + noun/-ing
the usual pattern
- 3
Funding request
Please include a short written justification with your request for extra funding.
- 4
Workplace behavior
No amount of stress is a justification for shouting at your staff.
More examplesFewer examples
- 5
Legal search
The court said there was not enough legal justification to search the apartment.
- 6
Excuse for action
He used one small mistake as a justification for firing the whole team.
- Patternuse X as a justification for Y
treat X as a reason that makes Y acceptable
- 7
Risk decision
Saving a little money is not justification enough to put workers at risk.
See also
Similar
Shades of meaning
Contrast
Used with (collocations)
- provide a justification
- justification for
- moral justification
- without justification
Word family
Explore
- legitimacy
- burden of proof
Forms and spellings
2 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- justificationnoun
Forms
- justificationspluralnoun