insufficient justification

USAGE SUMMARY

"insufficient justification" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when someone has provided a reasoning for something, but their explanation is seen to be inadequate. For example: "The employee's boss found the justification for his late arrival to work to be insufficient."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

26 human-written examples

"Having viewed all the available evidence, the IPCC felt there was insufficient justification for his actions.

The Guardian

This was an insufficient justification for suppressing commercial speech, the court said in Thompson v.

The New York Times

But the neatness of the programming offered insufficient justification for Theodore Wiprud's "My Last Duchess," in its first performance.

The New York Times - Arts

"After careful consideration, our judgment was that Qantas Loyalty continued to offer major profitable growth opportunities, and there was insufficient justification for a partial sale," Joyce said.

The Guardian - Business

It added that the absence of data on the effects of trawling in specific areas was "insufficient justification to postpone management of fishing effects on sea floor habitat".

The New York Times

A constraint satisfaction neural network model (the consonance model) simulated data from the two major cognitive dissonance paradigms of insufficient justification and free choice.

Stanford University

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

34 human-written examples

The regulator added that there was "insufficient editorial justification for the sheer number and frequency of these references".

The Guardian

"Ofcom was concerned that there was insufficient editorial justification for the manner and frequency of the repeated references to the CC brand during the interview and, as such, the references were judged to be unduly prominent".

The Guardian

Mr. Olson, who is not a regular churchgoer, began to elaborate on his view that religious beliefs were insufficient legal justification for government to refuse to recognize same-sex marriage, but soon paused.

The New York Times

But Mr. Reilly, a Democrat who opposes same-sex marriage but is considering a run for governor, refused to represent Mr. Romney or appoint another lawyer to do so, saying there was insufficient legal justification to ask the court to revisit a question it had already ruled on twice in the last six months.

The New York Times

Third, why should a critic who regards simple reliable causation as insufficient for justification be satisfied with any higher-order requirements?

SEP

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "insufficient justification", clearly articulate why the provided reasoning is inadequate, providing specific examples or counterarguments.

Common error

Avoid simply stating that there is "insufficient justification" without explaining the exact shortcomings. Offer concrete details to support your assessment.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "insufficient justification" functions as a noun phrase, typically serving as the object of a verb or preposition. As noted by Ludwig, it describes a situation where the provided reason or support is inadequate or lacking.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Academia

33%

Science

27%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "insufficient justification" is used to indicate that the reasons or explanations provided for something are inadequate. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage in various contexts, including news, academia, and science. When employing this phrase, ensure you articulate why the justification is lacking, offering specific examples. Alternatives include "inadequate rationale" or "weak justification". Avoid vagueness by always providing detailed explanations to support your claim that the justification is insufficient.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

inadequate rationale

Focuses on the weakness of the reasoning provided.

unconvincing explanation

Highlights the lack of persuasiveness in the given explanation.

weak justification

Emphasizes the feebleness or fragility of the justification.

flimsy excuse

Implies the justification is weak and easily dismissed.

poorly supported argument

Indicates the argument lacks sufficient evidence or reasoning.

unsatisfactory defense

Highlights the inadequacy of the defense or explanation.

tenuous basis

Suggests the justification is fragile and easily undermined.

lame reasoning

Conveys a sense of the reasoning being uninspired or unpersuasive.

groundless premise

Highlights that the basic assumption lacks foundation.

unfounded claim

Emphasizes that the claim lacks a solid basis in fact or evidence.

FAQs

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

You can use "insufficient justification" to express that the reasoning or support provided for an action or decision is not adequate. For example, "The committee found the applicant's reasons for the budget increase to be an "insufficient justification"."

What are some alternatives to "insufficient justification"?

Alternatives to "insufficient justification" include "inadequate rationale", "unconvincing explanation", or "weak justification". The best choice depends on the specific context.

Is it better to say "insufficient justification" or "lack of justification"?

"Insufficient justification" implies that some attempt at providing a reason was made, but it wasn't good enough. "Lack of justification" suggests that no reason was given at all. Choose the phrase that best reflects the situation.

When is "insufficient justification" typically used?

"Insufficient justification" is often used in formal settings like legal, academic, or business contexts when evaluating the validity or adequacy of an argument or explanation.