as in excuses
an explanation that frees one from fault or blame
offered a weak justification for why he was so late
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of justifications
To say nothing about the thorny question of its genre—do Eastern European writers need to provide more explanations and justifications when using the technique of autofiction?
—
Literary Hub, 5 Nov. 2025
Traditionally, one of the key justifications for teamwork has been its psychological benefits—the energy that comes from collaboration, the reduced stress of shared responsibility, the excitement of building on each other’s ideas.
—François Candelon, Fortune, 31 Oct. 2025
The acknowledgment of privilege and the rebuke of its self-serving justifications for oppression is another motif in Gunn’s work.
—Matt Zoller Seitz, Vulture, 31 Oct. 2025
Local leaders, on the other hand, continued to push back on the administration's justifications and the administration's characterizations of violence in their cities.
—Megan Forrester, ABC News, 9 Oct. 2025
One of Russia's justifications for launching its war against Ukraine was to thwart Kyiv's ambitions to join NATO, which Moscow regards as a serious threat to its national security.
—Shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Oct. 2025
Factionalism, doctrine, ground rules, justifications are, in Anderson’s film, irrelevant, meaning that French 75’s actions take place in an intellectual void.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 7 Oct. 2025
Where differences of opinion become justifications for violence.
—Margie Warrell, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
The justifications are endless, as are the streams of books and websites making the case.
—Naomi S. Baron, The Conversation, 13 Aug. 2025
Literary Hub, 5 Nov. 2025
Traditionally, one of the key justifications for teamwork has been its psychological benefits—the energy that comes from collaboration, the reduced stress of shared responsibility, the excitement of building on each other’s ideas.
—François Candelon, Fortune, 31 Oct. 2025
The acknowledgment of privilege and the rebuke of its self-serving justifications for oppression is another motif in Gunn’s work.
—Matt Zoller Seitz, Vulture, 31 Oct. 2025
Local leaders, on the other hand, continued to push back on the administration's justifications and the administration's characterizations of violence in their cities.
—Megan Forrester, ABC News, 9 Oct. 2025
One of Russia's justifications for launching its war against Ukraine was to thwart Kyiv's ambitions to join NATO, which Moscow regards as a serious threat to its national security.
—Shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Oct. 2025
Factionalism, doctrine, ground rules, justifications are, in Anderson’s film, irrelevant, meaning that French 75’s actions take place in an intellectual void.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 7 Oct. 2025
Where differences of opinion become justifications for violence.
—Margie Warrell, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
The justifications are endless, as are the streams of books and websites making the case.
—Naomi S. Baron, The Conversation, 13 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for justifications
Noun
-
The excuses have more to do with political expediency and gas lobbying than reality.—
Anshul Gupta,
New York Daily News,
7 Jan. 2026
-
There can be no excuses because the general team performance against mid-table Fulham had plenty in common with those that had gone before it.—
James Pearce,
New York Times,
5 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Why Atlas stood out at CES 2026 CNET pointed to Atlas’ humanlike walking ability and refined industrial design as key reasons for the award.—
Sujita Sinha,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Jan. 2026
-
If the reasons behind an expense feel fuzzy, analyze the details and ask for a clear summary, because precise information turns hesitation into a calm, confident decision.—
Tarot.com,
Baltimore Sun,
8 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Justifications.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/justifications. Accessed 10 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share