justification was sought

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "justification was sought" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used in contexts where someone is looking for or requesting a reason or explanation for something. Example: "In the meeting, it was clear that justification was sought for the recent budget cuts."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

It was observed, for example, that during the regional review meetings, if the coverage of a particular vaccine was less than expected, a close scrutiny and justification was sought from the fieldworker and the supervisor.

Health Research Policy and Systems

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

Childress et al. (2002) recognised that these considerations can often come into conflict, requiring ranking or weighting in specific cases where justification is sought.

Life Sciences, Society and Policy

No other answers or justifications were sought, and this process was repeated 12 times per participant.

BMC Health Services Research

The dynamics are treated by way of spectral analysis, while the justification of the connectivities is sought through the exact solution of an analogous two-dimensional static problem.

Journal of Sound and Vibration

Here it is appropriate to ask the skeptic what kind of justification she is seeking.

SEP

What is sought is a way of computing the "on sum" degree of justification of a conclusion in terms of the degrees of justification of all relevant premises and the strengths of all relevant reasons.

Artificial Intelligence

Erik Britton, director of City consultancy Fathom and a former Bank economist, said the decision to call in the firm suggested Carney is seeking justification for a shake-up at the Bank.

The Guardian - Business

For now, Ripple looks to some like an asset that's seeking justification for its valuation.

TechCrunch

She is seeking justification and agreement for her point of view and is defensive if anyone suggests she has a choice in how she experiences her situation.

Huffington Post

But White House officials on Wednesday dismissed those comments as excuses offered by killers who are seeking justifications for executing Americans.

The New York Times

As he characterized it, his organizations are seeking scientific justification from the EPA for stricter laws regulating the chemical.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "justification was sought" when you want to emphasize the act of actively looking for a valid reason or explanation, especially in formal contexts.

Common error

While grammatically correct, "justification was sought" can sound overly formal in everyday conversation. Opt for simpler phrases like "reasons were asked for" in informal settings.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "justification was sought" functions as a passive construction indicating that an active attempt was made to obtain a valid reason or explanation for a particular action, decision, or situation. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, this phrase is usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

30%

News & Media

30%

Formal & Business

15%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

10%

Wiki

5%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "justification was sought" is a grammatically sound and usable expression denoting that a reason or explanation was actively requested. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is suitable for written English. Though versatile, it appears more frequently in neutral or formal contexts like scientific reports or news articles. While semantically sound, alternatives like "reasons were asked for" may be more appropriate in casual settings. Its function is to indicate a demand for accountability or understanding.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

explanation was requested

Replaces "justification" with the more general term "explanation".

rationale was demanded

Uses stronger verbs to emphasize the insistence on providing a justification.

reasoning was pursued

Focuses on the process of finding the underlying logic or reasons.

basis was investigated

Highlights the search for the fundamental grounds or foundation.

account was asked for

Emphasizes the requirement for a detailed explanation or report.

validation was solicited

Highlights the request for confirmation or support of something.

support was needed

Emphasizes the need for support or evidence.

proof was required

Highlights the requirement for evidence or confirmation.

elaboration was sought

Highlights the need for a more detailed explanation.

vindication was needed

Implies a need to clear someone of blame or suspicion.

FAQs

How can I use "justification was sought" in a sentence?

You can use "justification was sought" to indicate that someone was looking for or requesting a reason or explanation for something. For example, "During the audit, "justification was sought" for the discrepancies found in the financial records."

What's a less formal way to say "justification was sought"?

Less formal alternatives include "reasons were asked for", "an explanation was requested", or "they wanted to know why".

Is "justification was sought" different from "justification was provided"?

Yes. "Justification was sought" means someone was looking for a reason, while "justification was provided" means a reason was given.

What's the difference between ""justification was sought"" and "justification is sought"?

"Justification was sought" implies that the search for justification happened in the past, while "justification is sought" indicates that it is happening currently.