adj
Common
justified
JUHS-tih-fyd
Justified (adj) means having a good reason; shown to be right or reasonable. Example: “The teacher felt justified in asking the class to be quiet.”
adj
1
Having a good reason; shown to be right or reasonable.
"The teacher felt justified in asking the class to be quiet."
"Was he justified in leaving the party so early?"
"Given the circumstances, her frustration was completely justified."
2
Of text, aligned so that both the left and right edges of each line are straight.
"Newspaper columns are often justified, so the edges look tidy."
"I set the text to justified, but the gaps between words looked odd."
"The report's paragraphs are fully justified, giving it a neat, printed look."
How to use justified
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishReasonable and defensible, or, for text, evenly aligned on both edges.
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Word forms
- Comparative
- more justified
- Superlative
- most justified
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The teacher felt _____ in asking the class to be quiet.
Synonyms
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Rhymes for justified
See all rhymes for justified →Frequently asked questions
What does “justified” mean?
The word “justified” means having a good reason; shown to be right or reasonable. In plain terms, reasonable and defensible, or, for text, evenly aligned on both edges.
How do you pronounce “justified”?
“Justified” is pronounced JUHS-tih-fyd (/ˈd͡ʒʌstɪfaɪd/ in IPA).
How do you use “justified” in a sentence?
Here is “justified” used in a sentence: “Given the circumstances, her frustration was completely justified.”
What is the opposite of “justified”?
The opposite of “justified” — its antonyms — is unjustified.
What part of speech is “justified”?
“Justified” is an adjective.
Is “justified” a common word?
“Justified” is a fairly common word in modern English.
How many meanings does “justified” have?
“Justified” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: having a good reason; shown to be right or reasonable.
What is the difference between justified and justifiable?
Justified describes something that has a good reason behind it and has been shown to be right, while justifiable describes something that could be defended with reasons, whether or not it has been. In short, justifiable points to potential, justified to established fact.
What is the difference between justified and warranted?
Both mean supported by good reasons, but warranted leans toward being necessary or authorized by the circumstances, while justified leans toward being shown to be morally or logically right. A police search may be warranted; a complaint may be justified.
Should you use justified alignment in documents?
Justified alignment gives documents a clean, formal, block-like appearance, which is why books and newspapers use it, usually together with hyphenation. In narrow columns or without hyphenation it can create distracting gaps between words, so left alignment is often the safer choice on screen.
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