justification

[ juhs-tuh-fi-key-shuhn ]

noun

1. a reason, fact, circumstance, or explanation that justifies or defends:

   His insulting you was ample justification for you to leave the party.

2. an act of justifying:

   The painter's justification of his failure to finish on time didn't impress me.

3. the state of being justified.
4. Also called justification by faith. Theology. the act of God whereby humankind is made or accounted just, or free from guilt or penalty of sin.
5. Printing. the spacing of words and letters within a line of type so that all full lines in a column have even margins both on the left and on the right.

justification

/ ˌdʒʌstɪfɪˈkeɪʃən /

noun

1. reasonable grounds for complaint, defence, etc
2. the act of justifying; proof, vindication, or exculpation
3. theol
   1. the act of justifying
   2. the process of being justified or the condition of having been justified
4. Also calledjustification by faith Protestant theol the doctrine that God vindicates only those who repent and believe in Jesus
5. printing computing the process of adjusting interword spacing in text or data so that both right and left margins are straight
6. computing the process of moving data right or left so that the first or last character occurs in a predefined position

Other Words From

• pre·jus·ti·fi·ca·tion noun
• re·jus·ti·fi·ca·tion noun
• su·per·jus·ti·fi·ca·tion noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of justification¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Late Latin jūstificātiōn-, stem of jūstificātiō, from jūstificāt(us) “justified” (past participle of jūstificāre; justify ) + -iō -ion ( def )

Example Sentences

“They saw very complex stratified societies with monumental architecture and public works, but all without so-called agriculture,” she says, which they cited as a justification for colonizing “unused” lands.

From Science Magazine

"Who in their right mind would do such a thing? There is no justification for it."

From BBC

Experts have repeatedly questioned this, saying that there is no legal justification for it and that punishing someone for an alleged crime using laws meant for another makes no sense.

From BBC

The hearing was told that Ms Robinson had contacted him outside her work hours without clinical justification, breaching professional boundaries.

From BBC

The reason cited is illegal construction but experts have questioned the logic and say there is no legal justification for doing this.

From BBC

Related Words

• apology
• approval
• argument
• basis
• confirmation
• explanation
• pretext
• rationale
• rationalization
• vindication