justifying
Making something acceptable
Justifying is giving reasons or evidence for something, or showing it to be right or reasonable: He spent the meeting justifying his decision to the board.
In typesetting, justifying means aligning text so both margins are even.
The word often carries a defensive edge—you justify what's been questioned: Stop justifying yourself.
Offered reason for wrongdoing
- alibiDefense of location
- explanationStatement making something clear
- mitigationReduction of severity
- extenuationPartial justification for fault
pretext · exculpation · palliation · rationalization · self-deception · spin · denial · minimizing
Clearance of blame
- apologiaFormal defense of views
- upholdingContinuing to support
- legitimizationFormal recognition as valid
- supportTo uphold or sustain
backing · championing · assertion · affirmation · rebuttal · counterargument · maintaining · warranting
Stated basis for action
- logicScience of valid reasoning
- argumentationSystematic reasoning process
- evidenceFacts supporting truth
- inferenceConclusion reached through reasoning
deduction · analysis · premise · conclusion · validity · soundness · cogency · coherence
Study of right conduct
- moralityRight and wrong principles
- legitimacyLawful or rightful status
- rightnessState of being correct
- permissibilityState of being allowed
conscience · principles · righteousness · propriety · defensibility · acceptability · fairness · duty
excuse
Offered reason for wrongdoing
- alibiDefense of location
- explanationStatement making something clear
- mitigationReduction of severity
extenuation · pretext · exculpation · palliation · rationalization · self-deception · spin · denial · minimizing · deflection
vindication
Clearance of blame
- apologiaFormal defense of views
- upholdingContinuing to support
- legitimizationFormal recognition as valid
support · backing · championing · assertion · affirmation · rebuttal · counterargument · maintaining · warranting · advocacy
rationale
Stated basis for action
- logicScience of valid reasoning
- argumentationSystematic reasoning process
- evidenceFacts supporting truth
inference · deduction · analysis · premise · conclusion · validity · soundness · cogency · coherence · plausibility
ethics
Study of right conduct
- moralityRight and wrong principles
- legitimacyLawful or rightful status
- rightnessState of being correct
permissibility · conscience · principles · righteousness · propriety · defensibility · acceptability · fairness · duty · obligation
alignment
Correct relative positioning
typesetting · layout · ragged · columns · kerning · indentation · paragraph
- excusesexcuse, not my fault, overslept, alibi, excuses
- Excusingforgiving, pardoning, condoning, rationalizing, overlooking
- provingtesting, showing, confirming, verifying, validating
- inner thoughtsinner monologue, inner voice, self-talk, internal dialogue, thoughts
- thinkingthinking, reasoning, thought, ponder, contemplate
- verbal responsesreplying, responding, retorting, confirming, denying
justifyingcondemning
Expressing severe disapproval
denouncing · censuring · damning · blaming · reproaching
justifyingaggravating
Causing irritation or worsening
incriminating · inculpating · implicating · exacerbating · compounding
justifyingrefuting
Disproving a claim
invalidating · attacking · discrediting · disproving · undermining
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