English · Word Candidate

justification

/ˌd͡ʒʌstɪfɪˈkeɪʃən/

Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.

Also seen as: justifications

Sense 1

Meaning · English

A reason, explanation, or excuse which someone believes provides convincing, morally acceptable support for behavior or for a belief or occurrence.

Noun

Examples

The growing use of social media to spread anger and dissent in the Arab world has been hailed by western governments as one of the chief justifications for a completely unfettered internet. The US is reportedly funding the secret rollout of technology in Iran in an effort to undermine internet censo

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 2

Meaning · English

The forgiveness of sin.

Noun

Examples

[…] to articulate a common understanding of our justification by God’s grace through faith in Christ.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “justification” mean?

A reason, explanation, or excuse which someone believes provides convincing, morally acceptable support for behavior or for a belief or occurrence.

Is “justification” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.