Verb
1. show to be reasonable or provide adequate ground for;
"The emergency does not warrant all of us buying guns""The end justifies the means"2. show to be right by providing justification or proof;
"vindicate a claim"3. defend, explain, clear away, or make excuses for by reasoning;
"rationalize the child's seemingly crazy behavior""he rationalized his lack of success"4. let off the hook;
"I absolve you from this responsibility"5. adjust the spaces between words;
"justify the margins"