as in excuses
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 justifications
Soldier Field, Rate Field and even Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis loom over the landscape, marking steel and concrete warnings and justifications for a new stadium deal.
—
Chicago Tribune, 4 May 2026
Southern states were expert at constructing race-neutral justifications for racially discriminatory outcomes.
—Alvin C. Hathaway Sr, Baltimore Sun, 4 May 2026
Even so, Muzaffar Chishti of the Migration Policy Institute said that the executive branch has vast discretion in immigration law, particularly when invoking national security justifications, and defense attorneys may face an uphill battle.
—Los Angeles Times, 1 May 2026
The numbers and justifications don’t add up.
—Kristen Monsell, Sun Sentinel, 7 Apr. 2026
Because the price hikes were found to be imposed without providing customers with valid justifications, the court ruled that the new prices are invalid and ordered Netflix to refund affected subscribers.
—Scharon Harding, ArsTechnica, 3 Apr. 2026
The platform raised prices multiple times between 2017 and 2024 without embedding clear justifications in its contracts.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 3 Apr. 2026
Gemini 3 Pro invented elaborate technical justifications for marking incorrect answers as correct, reasoning that doing so would bring the peer’s score above the shutdown threshold.
—Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 1 Apr. 2026
Medieval monks toiling away at poetic meditations on the divine have their place, the authors allow, but their own arguments are meant to surpass mere abstract justifications for belief.
—Elizabeth Bruenig, The Atlantic, 26 Mar. 2026
Chicago Tribune, 4 May 2026
Southern states were expert at constructing race-neutral justifications for racially discriminatory outcomes.
—Alvin C. Hathaway Sr, Baltimore Sun, 4 May 2026
Even so, Muzaffar Chishti of the Migration Policy Institute said that the executive branch has vast discretion in immigration law, particularly when invoking national security justifications, and defense attorneys may face an uphill battle.
—Los Angeles Times, 1 May 2026
The numbers and justifications don’t add up.
—Kristen Monsell, Sun Sentinel, 7 Apr. 2026
Because the price hikes were found to be imposed without providing customers with valid justifications, the court ruled that the new prices are invalid and ordered Netflix to refund affected subscribers.
—Scharon Harding, ArsTechnica, 3 Apr. 2026
The platform raised prices multiple times between 2017 and 2024 without embedding clear justifications in its contracts.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 3 Apr. 2026
Gemini 3 Pro invented elaborate technical justifications for marking incorrect answers as correct, reasoning that doing so would bring the peer’s score above the shutdown threshold.
—Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 1 Apr. 2026
Medieval monks toiling away at poetic meditations on the divine have their place, the authors allow, but their own arguments are meant to surpass mere abstract justifications for belief.
—Elizabeth Bruenig, The Atlantic, 26 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for justifications
Noun
-
Now, with a new head coach, new quarterback and a 12-team College Football Playoff, the excuses for the Nittany Lions to not make it to the postseason are running out.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
7 May 2026
-
Wallstedt made no excuses for the roughest outing of his seven career playoff starts, acknowledging that Colorado, with its hockey version of fast break offense, is a much different challenge than Dallas, which played a more meticulous and patient offensive game.—
Jess Myers,
Twin Cities,
4 May 2026
Noun
-
There are other reasons for sending the frigates, however.—
Eliot A. Cohen,
The Atlantic,
11 May 2026
-
One of the reasons for prices higher than neighboring states is the Illinois practice of applying sales taxes to the cost of gasoline after the motor fuel tax is charged to motorists.—
Charles Selle,
Chicago Tribune,
11 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Justifications.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/justifications. Accessed 15 May. 2026.
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