a possible justification

USAGE SUMMARY

"a possible justification" is correct and can be used in written English.
For example, "The defense attorney argued that there was a possible justification for the defendant's actions."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

12 human-written examples

One improvement would be to change Israeli law to remove "necessity as a possible justification to the crime of torture," the committee said.

The New York Times

By seven o'clock it was all over (which did not stop Russian television reporting "ongoing" troubles late into the night).Gennady Kernes, Kharkiv's mayor, says the rally was "illusion creation" designed as a possible justification for future action.

The Economist

I first discussed this as a possible justification for regulation of Google and Bing and as the basis of a possible antitrust suit against Google.

Huffington Post

Of the respondents with a depression/depressive symptoms (MDD, dysthymia, miD or depressive symptoms, n = 1064), 189 (17.8%) used an antidepressant, of whom 75 (39.7%) had a justification, 68 (36.0%) a possible justification and 46 (24.3%) did not have a justification.

Plosone

We think however that our definition including life long treatment for patients with recurrent depressive episodes is justifiable, considering the high recurrence rate of depression, especially after multiple episodes.[45], [46] As discussed above, at least part of the respondents with a possible justification will have a very good reason for the use of an antidepressant.

Plosone

Paradoxical as it may seem, autonomy was mentioned as a possible justification for compulsory treatment.

BMC Medical Ethics

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

47 human-written examples

The idea sounds bizarre, even repellent: could there be any possible justification for turning a great novel into a graphic novel?

The Guardian - Books

"Hard to imagine any possible justification for agreeing to an off-the-record cocktail party with the president-elect," Tim Grieve, McClatchy's vice president for news, tweeted Sunday night.  .

Huffington Post

A third possible justification for acting now — and this is one that Fed officials would never acknowledge publicly — is politics.

The New Yorker

First, we defined lifelong treatment non-justified only for patients without a definite or possible justification.

Plosone

Overtreatment was considered present when a respondent received an antidepressant without justification or possible justification, i.e. without a non-recurrent (i.e. single) episode of MDD or dysthymia in the past year, or an anxiety disorder or recurrent MDD or chronic depression in lifetime.

Plosone

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "a possible justification", ensure it's followed by an explanation that clarifies why the justification is plausible in the given context.

Common error

Avoid presenting "a possible justification" as a definitive or proven fact. Emphasize its speculative nature to maintain credibility and avoid misleading the audience.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a possible justification" functions as a noun phrase that introduces a potential reason or excuse for an action, decision, or situation. Ludwig AI confirms this usage across a variety of contexts.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

50%

News & Media

42%

Encyclopedias

8%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a possible justification" is a grammatically sound phrase used to introduce a potential, but not necessarily definitive, reason or excuse. Ludwig AI examples show that it appears most frequently in scientific and news contexts, indicating its role in analytical and exploratory discussions. While versatile, it's important to avoid overstating the justification as a proven fact. Consider alternatives like "a potential reason" or "a feasible explanation" to fine-tune the nuance. Using this phrase correctly enhances clarity and avoids misleading readers.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a potential reason

Replaces "justification" with "reason", focusing on the cause.

a feasible explanation

Substitutes "justification" with "explanation", emphasizing clarity.

a conceivable rationale

Uses "rationale" instead of "justification", highlighting logic.

a hypothetical basis

Replaces "justification" with "basis", suggesting a foundation.

a theoretical pretext

Uses "pretext" which implies a reason that is not the actual reason.

a plausible account

Replaces "justification" with "account", highlighting the narrative.

a likely defense

Substitutes "justification" with "defense", focusing on advocacy.

a credible excuse

Uses "excuse" instead of "justification", emphasizing absolution.

an imaginable alibi

Replaces "justification" with "alibi", highlighting exculpation.

a valid mitigation

Substitutes "justification" with "mitigation", emphasizing reduction of severity.

FAQs

How can I use "a possible justification" in a sentence?

You can use "a possible justification" to introduce a potential reason or explanation for something. For example, "One "possible justification" for the company's losses is the recent economic downturn." Note that depending on context, you could rephrase that as a "potential reason".

What are some alternatives to "a possible justification"?

Some alternatives include "a potential reason", "a feasible explanation", or "a conceivable rationale". The best choice depends on the specific context and the nuance you want to convey.

When is it appropriate to use "a possible justification"?

It's appropriate to use "a possible justification" when you want to suggest a potential reason or excuse without asserting it as a definitive fact. This is useful when presenting hypotheses or exploring different perspectives.

What's the difference between "a possible justification" and "a definite justification"?

"A possible justification" suggests a potential reason that may or may not be valid, while "a definite justification" implies a confirmed and solid reason. Use "a possible justification" when the reason is speculative, and "a definite justification" when the reason is certain.