challenged to justify

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "challenged to justify" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when someone is asked to provide reasons or explanations for their actions or beliefs, often in a critical context. Example: "The committee challenged the applicant to justify their decision to pursue a different course of action."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

10 human-written examples

But arts organisations are challenged to justify themselves on more rigorous grounds.

The Guardian - Arts

They can be challenged to justify their evaluation and "to acknowledge fault if an adequate defense cannot be provided" (Smith, 2008: 370).

Nature

"As the prospects for another head-on clash of large mechanized land armies seem less likely, the Army will be increasingly challenged to justify the number, size, and cost of its heavy formations," Mr. Gates warned.

The New York Times

Challenged to justify applying this to secular, non-practising Muslims, Zeman invokes a former Czech education minister in calling Islam "a religion of death" and points to what he says are the teachings of the Qur'an.

The Guardian

The government has been challenged to justify an "incredibly distasteful" proposal in Wednesday's budget which would require a woman who had a third child as the result of rape to justify her position in order to avoid losing tax credits.

The Guardian

However, the UKIP leader looked vulnerable when challenged to justify his party's inflated claims on the scale of immigration and the cost of the EU.

BBC

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

50 human-written examples

However, due to uncertainty about computing performance on the cloud, many manufacturers find it challenging to justify and adopt Cloud-Based Design and Manufacturing (CBDM).

Journal of Manufacturing Systems

To cope with this increased competition, companies in high-wage countries often employ a differentiation strategy to meet individual customer needs, as it becomes increasingly challenging to justify higher production costs through superior product quality.

Procedia CIRP

Although CBDM has the potential to reduce costs associated with high performance computing (HPC) and maintaining ICT infrastructures in the context of engineering design and manufacturing, it is challenging to justify the potential cost savings associated with HPC in the cloud because of the complexity in the cost-benefit analysis of migrating to CBDM.

Procedia Manufacturing

Difficulty in securing funding was frequently mentioned, but beyond that, participants reported that it is challenging to justify including financial support for a methodologist in grant application budgets in an environment where the funds awarded are anticipated to be less than requested.

BMC Medical Research Methodology

The challenge to justify rail investment is not merely that it would provide economic advantages but that those benefits are greater than the disadvantages caused by the higher tax needed to pay for them.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "challenged to justify", ensure the subject being challenged has the opportunity and resources to adequately explain or defend their position. Simply demanding justification without allowing for a response is often unproductive.

Common error

Avoid consistently using "challenged to justify" in contexts that imply wrongdoing before all facts are presented. This can create a hostile tone and undermine objectivity. Instead, balance accusatory tone with a focus on understanding the rationale.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "challenged to justify" typically functions as a verb phrase, indicating that someone is being called upon to provide reasons or explanations for their actions, decisions, or beliefs. Ludwig AI confirms the usability of this phrase in written English.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

30%

Academia

20%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "challenged to justify" is a grammatically correct and usable expression, albeit somewhat formal, indicating a situation where someone is being asked to provide reasons or explanations for their actions or decisions. Ludwig AI confirms this. This phrase is most commonly found in news and media, science, and academic contexts, conveying a sense of scrutiny and demand for accountability. When using this phrase, ensure that the subject being challenged has the opportunity and resources to respond adequately. Alternative phrases include "asked to explain", "required to defend", and "called upon to account for", depending on the desired level of formality and emphasis.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

asked to explain

Focuses on seeking clarification rather than necessarily implying a demand for justification.

required to defend

Emphasizes the need to protect or support a position against opposition.

called upon to account for

Formal and emphasizes accountability.

pressured to validate

Highlights external force and the act of confirming something's accuracy.

faced the burden of proof

Highlights the responsibility of proving a claim.

compelled to rationalize

Suggests a forced attempt to make sense of something, potentially after the fact.

under scrutiny to validate

Highlights the presence of a high level of inspection and the need to prove something's validity.

held accountable for

Highlights responsibility and the expectation of answering for one's actions.

invited to elaborate on

Suggests a more gentle request for further details or explanation.

given the task of proving

Emphasizes assignment and the objective is to make something evidential.

FAQs

How can I use "challenged to justify" in a sentence?

You can use "challenged to justify" to indicate that someone is being asked to provide reasons or explanations for their actions or decisions, often when those actions are being questioned. For example: "The CEO was "challenged to justify" the company's environmental record to the board."

What are some alternatives to "challenged to justify"?

Alternatives to "challenged to justify" include "asked to explain", "required to defend", or "called upon to account for" depending on the specific context.

Is there a difference between "challenged to justify" and "asked to explain"?

"Challenged to justify" implies a stronger level of scrutiny or doubt than "asked to explain". "Asked to explain" is more neutral, simply requesting clarification, while "challenged to justify" suggests a need to defend or provide a strong rationale.

When is it appropriate to use "challenged to justify" in formal writing?

Use "challenged to justify" in formal writing when you want to convey that someone's position or action is being critically examined and they are being formally requested to provide a strong justification. This phrase is suitable for news reports, academic analyses, and business documents.