Synonyms for justification
Most common
excuse explanation vindication sanctification apology exculpation
All synonyms
Noun
explanation, excuse, vindication, defense US, defence UK, sanctification, apology, cause, plea, exculpation
Definitions
- n. 1
A reason, explanation, or excuse which someone believes provides convincing, morally acceptable support for behavior or for a belief or occurrence.
Related words
- Word family
- justify
Forms
- Plural
- justifications → explanations, excuses, vindications, defenses…
Choose the right word
Defense, exculpation, justification, and vindication are more properly antonyms than synonyms of apology in its modern sense, and should be so given, but for their connection with its historic usage.
J. C. Fernald, English Synonyms and Antonyms (1914)
Example sentences
- excuse Excuse me, but where is the men's shoe department?
- explanation We shouldn't accept his explanation at face value.
- vindication His enemy's failure in business was the ultimate vindication.
- sanctification Humiliation is the beginning of sanctification.
- apology Yanni's apology devolved into a physical argument.
Popularity over time
| Word | 1850 → 2019 | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| justification | steady | |
| excuse | rising | |
| explanation | steady | |
| vindication | steady | |
| sanctification | rising | |
| apology | rising |
Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.
By length
- 4 letters
- plea1
- 5 letters
- cause1
- 6 letters
- excuse2
- 7 letters
- defense2, defence2, apology4
- 11 letters
- explanation4, vindication4, exculpation
- 14 letters
- sanctification5
The small number after each word is its number of syllables (excuse2 = 2 syllables).
In other languages
- Français
- justification
- Italiano
- giustificazione
- Español
- justificación
- Deutsch
- Rechtfertigung
- Català
- justificació