| Main Entry: | |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | clarification; reason |
| Synonyms: | account, annotation, answer, breakdown, brief, cause, comment, commentary, confession, definition, demonstration, description, details, display, elucidation, evidence, example, excuse, explication, exposition, expression, gloss, history, illustration, information, interpretation, justification, meaning, mitigation, motive, narration, note, recital, rendition, report, resolution, sense, showing, significance, specification, statement, story, summary, tale, talking, telling, vindication, writing |
| Antonyms: | complication |
| Main Entry: | justification |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | reason, excuse |
| Synonyms: | absolution, account, acquittal, advocacy, answer, apologia, apology, approval, argument, basis, confirmation, defense, exculpation, exoneration, explanation, extenuation, grounds, idea, mitigation, palliation, palliative, plea, pretext, raison d'être, rationale, rationalization, rebuttal, redemption, reply, response, salvation, sanctification, song and dance, story, support, validation, vindication, warrant, whatfor, wherefore, whitewashing, whole idea, why and wherefore |
| Main Entry: | pardon |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | forgiveness |
| Synonyms: | absolution, acquittal, allowance, amnesty, anchor, clemency, commute, conciliation, condonation, discharge, exculpation, excuse, exoneration, forbearance, freeing, grace, indemnification, indemnity, indulgence, justification, kindness, lifeboat, lifesaver, mercy, release, remission, reprieve, vindication |
| Notes: | a pardon is the act of excusing a mistake or offense; an excuse is an explanation offered to justify or obtain forgiveness |
| Antonyms: | chastisement, condemnation, damning, ostracization, penalty, punishment |
| Main Entry: | plea |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | excuse, defense |
| Synonyms: | action, alibi, allegation, apology, argument, cause, claim, cop-out, explanation, extenuation, fish tale, justification, mitigation, out, palliation, pleading, pretext, rationalization, right, song and dance, story, vindication, whitewash |
| Antonyms: | decision, sentence |
| Main Entry: | reason |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | explanation for an action |
| Synonyms: | account, apologia, apology, argument, case, cover, defense, excuse, exposition, ground, idea, justification, notion, proof, rationale, rationalization, song and dance, sour grapes, the whole idea, vindication, whatfor, wherefore, why and wherefore, why*, whyfor |
| Main Entry: | satisfaction |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | giving or enjoying a state of comfort, content |
| Synonyms: | achievement, amends, amusement, atonement, bliss, cheerfulness, comfort, compensation, complacency, conciliation, contentedness, contentment, delight, ease, enjoyment, fulfillment, gladness, good fortune, gratification, happiness, indemnification, indulgence, joy, justice, peace of mind, pleasure, pride, propitiation, recompense, redress, refreshment, reimbursement, relief, reparation, repletion, resolution, reward, satiety, serenity, settlement, vindication, well-being |
| Antonyms: | discontent, dissatisfaction, need, unhappiness, want |
| Main Entry: | extenuation |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | an excuse |
| Synonyms: | apology, explanation, justification, vindication |
| Main Entry: | eye for an eye |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | retaliation for a wrong |
| Synonyms: | avenging, getting even, measure for measure, payback, reprisal, retaliation, retribution, revenge, tit for tat, tooth for a tooth, vengeance, vindication |
| Main Entry: | substantiation |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | embodiment |
| Synonyms: | approval, confirmation, proof, validation, verification, vindication |