I'm not justifying what he did, but you have to admit, his was a labour of love.
Source: tatoeba (1126556)
Justifying
Synonyms for "justifying" (33 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (7)
Strong matches (10)
Related words (16)
Noun(12 words)
Adjective(1 words)
substantiating claims
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: alibiing, align, apologetic, apologetic, defend.
- Sentence evidence is available for justifying, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from derived_reverse, opengloss.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "justifying".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "justifying"
Keep "justifying" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "justifying" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "justifying", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "justifying" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
11 entriesMore specific
21 entriescausal justificationconstructive proofdefenddefensibleexplainexplanatoryfull justificationinductive proofinsufficient justificationleft justificationlegal justificationmoral justificationpartial justificationpersuasiveproof by contradictionright justification
Showing 16 of 21 words.
Collocations
11 entriesacademic justificationadequate justificationfull justificationleft justificationlegal justificationlogical justificationmoral justificationright justificationrobust justificationsound justificationtext justification
Inflections
2 entriesDerivations
4 entriesSample sentences
5 total sentences available.
Despite their truth, sayings like "carpe diem", "live for yourself" and "know your worth" have degenerated into cliches for justifying rudeness, oddness, and apathy, at the hands of TV personalities and columnists. That is what is called "educated ignorance".
Source: tatoeba (3624344)
Why are you justifying what he did?
Source: tatoeba (10359408)
Ideologically-motivated Arab states ethnically cleansed their Jewish populations in the 20th century through a combination of direct revocation of citizenship and creating unlivable conditions for Jews. Had they not done this—and had this not recently continued in Yemen under the Houthis—Israel would have a much harder time justifying itself.
Source: tatoeba (11736202)
Showing 4 of 5 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "justifying"?
Closest matches include alibiing, align, apologetic, apologetic, defend.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "justifying"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.