Wordnet 3.0
NOUN (1)
1. 
 a defense of some offensive behavior or some failure to keep a promise etc.; 
- Example: "he kept finding excuses to stay"- Example: "every day he had a new alibi for not getting a job"- Example: "his transparent self-justification was unacceptable"[syn: excuse, alibi, exculpation, self-justification]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
self-justification
    n 1: a defense of some offensive behavior or some failure to
         keep a promise etc.; "he kept finding excuses to stay";
         "every day he had a new alibi for not getting a job"; "his
         transparent self-justification was unacceptable" [syn:
         excuse, alibi, exculpation, self-justification]