justify

justify 1 vindicate, defend, *maintain, assert

Analogous words: *prove, demonstrate: *support, uphold, back

Contrasted words: *disprove, refute, confute

2 account, rationalize, *explain

Analogous words: *excuse, condone: *exculpate, exonerate, absolve, acquit, vindicate: extenuate, gloze, gloss, whitewash, *palliate

Contrasted words: incriminate, indict, arraign, *accuse: condemn, denounce, blame (see CRITICIZE)

3 Justify, warrant are comparable when meaning to be the thing (as evidence, a circumstance, a situation, or a state of affairs) that constitutes sufficient grounds for doing, saying, using, or believing something.

Justify may be preferred when the stress is on providing grounds that satisfy conscience as well as reason, and usually refers to an action that, unjustified, would be looked upon with disapproval

{

no consideration on earth justifies a parent in telling lies to his child— Russell

}

{

I remember a very tenderhearted judge being of opinion that closing a hatch to stop a fire and the destruction of a cargo was justified even if it was known that doing so would stifle a man below— Justice Holmes

}

{

Locke justified the right of revolution— W. S. Myers

}

{

Batista justified his seizure of power on the grounds of an alleged conspiracy by the government to control the elections— Americana Annual

}

Warrant is especially appropriate (see also ASSERT 1) when the emphasis is on something that requires an explanation or reason rather than an excuse and suggests support by authority, precedent, experience, or logic

{

the deposits contain too high a percentage of sulfur to warrant development— Wythe

}

{

the history and appearance clearly warrant such assumption— Armstrong

}

{

a shorter course is designed for students whose graduate study and experience warrant it— Smith College: The President's Report 1952-1953

}

Analogous words: allow, permit (see LET): sanction (see APPROVE): *authorize