as in excuse
an explanation that frees one from fault or blame
offered a weak justification for why he was so late
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Recent Examples of justification
Officer accused of assaulting minor Officer Kevin Dugan is accused of assaulting a minor and a man without legal justification and with a corrupt attempt on June 8, 2024, in Baltimore's Fells Point.
—
Adam Thompson, CBS News, 30 Mar. 2026
But for weeks, Campbell’s office has cited a range of exemptions in state law as justification for not releasing records about the grand jury’s activities to news outlets, including the Times/Herald.
—Lawrence Mower, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 Mar. 2026
Firing him for putting his life on the line and acting consistent with his training is no justification for firing him and an insult to every officer risking his or her life daily.
—Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 27 Mar. 2026
Their use of the well-being of Iranians as a justification for spending billions to topple the Islamic regime is just brazen hypocrisy.
—Rafael Perez, Oc Register, 27 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for justification
Adam Thompson, CBS News, 30 Mar. 2026
But for weeks, Campbell’s office has cited a range of exemptions in state law as justification for not releasing records about the grand jury’s activities to news outlets, including the Times/Herald.
—Lawrence Mower, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 Mar. 2026
Firing him for putting his life on the line and acting consistent with his training is no justification for firing him and an insult to every officer risking his or her life daily.
—Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 27 Mar. 2026
Their use of the well-being of Iranians as a justification for spending billions to topple the Islamic regime is just brazen hypocrisy.
—Rafael Perez, Oc Register, 27 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for justification
Recent Examples of Synonyms for justification
Noun
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Spring-cleaning tips for your kitchen Little bits of food and dust frequently get trapped under major appliances like the stovetop, so spring cleaning is always a good excuse to check out what’s under there.—
Lori Keong,
Architectural Digest,
2 Apr. 2026
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Young ladies going up against biological men — biological men — there is no excuse for that.—
Ryan Morik,
FOXNews.com,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
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New romance is a reason to celebrate!—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
1 Apr. 2026
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The future of legal sports betting States that have not yet legalized sports betting may still see similar trends in financial insecurity for reasons beyond spillover effects.—
Sasha Rogelberg,
Fortune,
31 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Justification.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/justification. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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