self-justifying
Excusing one's actions
Self-justifying describes something that serves as its own justification or defense.
A self-justifying argument assumes its own conclusion.
A self-justifying person habitually rationalizes their actions rather than examining them honestly: His self-justifying account of the affair blamed everyone but himself.
The term often carries a critical edge, suggesting circular reasoning or defensive evasion of responsibility.
Inventing acceptable motives afterward
- intellectualizationReasoning away emotional responses
- sophistryDeceptive reasoning
- casuistryApplying principles to particulars
- excuse-makingExplaining away fault
spin · whitewashing · reframing · cherry-picking · doublethink · apologetics
Inventing acceptable motives afterward
- deflectionChange in trajectory
- guardedWary and restrained
- protectiveServing to guard
- shieldingProtecting from harm
reactionary · resistant · entrenched · preemptive · insecure · fortified · combative · walled-off
Excessive admiration of oneself
- hubrisRuinous excessive confidence
- conceitExaggerated self-admiration
- smugnessExcessive pride in oneself
- grandiosityExaggerated sense of importance
superiority · entitlement · infallibility · arrogance · vanity · pomposity · overconfidence
Rejection of connection
- blindnessAbsence of vision
- obliviousnessLack of awareness
- avoidanceDeliberate keeping away
- disregardWillful lack of attention
nonacceptance · compartmentalization · minimization · distortion · revisionism · blame-shifting · unaccountability · refusal
rationalization
Inventing acceptable motives afterward
- intellectualizationReasoning away emotional responses
- sophistryDeceptive reasoning
- casuistryApplying principles to particulars
excuse-making · spin · whitewashing · reframing · cherry-picking · doublethink · apologetics
rationalization
Inventing acceptable motives afterward
- deflectionChange in trajectory
- guardedWary and restrained
- protectiveServing to guard
shielding · reactionary · resistant · entrenched · preemptive · insecure · fortified · combative · walled-off · closed-minded
narcissism
Excessive admiration of oneself
- hubrisRuinous excessive confidence
- conceitExaggerated self-admiration
- smugnessExcessive pride in oneself
grandiosity · superiority · entitlement · infallibility · arrogance · vanity · pomposity · overconfidence
disavowal
Rejection of connection
- blindnessAbsence of vision
- obliviousnessLack of awareness
- avoidanceDeliberate keeping away
disregard · nonacceptance · compartmentalization · minimization · distortion · revisionism · blame-shifting · unaccountability · refusal · dismissiveness
self-justifyingself-critical
Judging oneself harshly
self-questioning · introspective · self-aware · humble · self-deprecating
self-justifyingcontrite
Feeling guilt over misdeeds
accountable · remorseful · apologetic · penitent · repentant
self, justify, selves, selfhood, selfish, selfishly, selfishness, unselfish, unselfishly