| verb | show to be reasonable or provide adequate ground for “The emergency does not warrant all of us buying guns” |
| verb | show to be right by providing justification or proof “vindicate a claim” |
| verb | defend, explain, clear away, or make excuses for by reasoning “rationalize the child's seemingly crazy behavior” |
| verb | let off the hook “I absolve you from this responsibility” |
| verb | adjust the spaces between words “justify the margins” |
| justificative | adjective | providing justification |
| justificatory | adjective | providing justification |
| justifiable | adjective | capable of being justified |
| justification | noun | a statement in explanation of some action or belief |
| justifier | noun | a person who argues to defend or justify some policy or institution |
| vindicatory | adjective | providing justification |
| vindication | noun | the justification for some act or belief |
| vindicator | noun | a person who argues to defend or justify some policy or institution |
| apology | noun | a formal written defense of something you believe in strongly |
| excusatory | adjective | offering or expressing apology |
| excuse | noun | a defense of some offensive behavior or some failure to keep a promise etc. |
| rationalization | noun | the cognitive process of making something seem consistent with or based on reason |
| rationalisation | noun | the cognitive process of making something seem consistent with or based on reason |
| absolvitory | adjective | providing absolution |