apologia
Written position defense
An apologia is a formal defense or justification of one's beliefs, actions, or position—not an apology in the sense of expressing regret.
The word retains its classical meaning of a reasoned argument in one's own defense: His memoir served as an apologia for his controversial foreign policy decisions.
The term often appears in titles of works offering such vindication.
Reason proving rightness
- vindicationClearance of blame
- explanationStatement making something clear
- rationaleStated basis for action
- excuseOffered reason for wrongdoing
plea · self-defense · exoneration · grounds · basis · account · exculpation · mitigation
Written personal recollection
- confessionAdmission of wrongdoing
- autobiographySelf-penned life narrative
- NewmanOne recently arrived
- SocratesAncient Athenian questioning philosopher
Plato · self-examination · personal narrative · testimony · self-justification
Persuasive verbal grace
- oratoryFormal eloquent discourse
- discourseFormal communication on subjects
- persuasionConvincing through reasoning
- logosBrand identification symbols
ethos · pathos · exposition · diction · polemic · dialectic · sophistry · encomium
Formal argument on issues
- disputeVerbal clash over differences
- criticismJudgment of faults
- backlashStrong negative reaction
- contentionAssertion or rivalry
disagreement · dissent · opposition · challenge · conflict · polemic · friction · tension
justification
Reason proving rightness
- vindicationClearance of blame
- explanationStatement making something clear
- rationaleStated basis for action
excuse · plea · self-defense · exoneration · grounds · basis · account · exculpation · mitigation · extenuation
memoir
Written personal recollection
- confessionAdmission of wrongdoing
- autobiographySelf-penned life narrative
- NewmanOne recently arrived
Socrates · Plato · self-examination · personal narrative · testimony · self-justification
eloquence
Persuasive verbal grace
- oratoryFormal eloquent discourse
- discourseFormal communication on subjects
- persuasionConvincing through reasoning
logos · ethos · pathos · exposition · diction · polemic · dialectic · sophistry · encomium · treatise
debate
Formal argument on issues
contention · disagreement · dissent · opposition · challenge · conflict · polemic · friction · tension · rebuttal
- writingsessay, essays, article, articles, stories
- excusesexcuse, not my fault, overslept, alibi, excuses
- speechesspeech, addresses, historic speeches, lecture, soliloquy
- Greek conceptslogos, ethos, pathos, hubris, arete
- rhetoricrhetoric, persuasion, oratory, argumentation, debate
- life writingmemoir, autobiography, biography, memoirs, memoir writing
apologiaretraction
Formal withdrawal of statement
recantation · renunciation · disavowal · repudiation · mea culpa
apologiaconfession
Admission of wrongdoing
mea culpa · admission of guilt · self-condemnation · self-incrimination · contrition
apologiadenunciation
Formal public accusation
condemnation · indictment · critique · attack · accusation
- I apologizeExpression of remorse
- public apologyOpenly stated remorse
- heartfelt apologySincere expression of remorse
- formal apologyOfficial acknowledgment of fault
- my apologyExpression of personal regret
- apology letterWritten statement of remorse
apology, apologize, apologetic, apologizing, apologized, apologizes, apologist, unapologetic, apologetics