What does justify mean?

Definitions for justify
ˈdʒʌs təˌfaɪjus·ti·fy

This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word justify.

Princeton's WordNet

  1. justify, warrantverb

    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. justify, vindicateverb

    show to be right by providing justification or proof

    "vindicate a claim"

  3. apologize, apologise, excuse, justify, rationalize, rationaliseverb

    defend, explain, clear away, or make excuses for by reasoning

    "rationalize the child's seemingly crazy behavior"; "he rationalized his lack of success"

  4. absolve, justify, freeverb

    let off the hook

    "I absolve you from this responsibility"

  5. justifyverb

    adjust the spaces between words

    "justify the margins"

Wiktionary

  1. justifyverb

    To provide an acceptable explanation for.

  2. justifyverb

    To be a good, acceptable reason for; warrant.

    Nothing can justify your rude behaviour last night.

  3. justifyverb

    To arrange (text) on a page or a computer screen such that the left and right ends of all lines within paragraphs are aligned.

    The text will look better justified.

  4. justifyverb

    To absolve, and declare to be free of blame or sin

  5. Etymology: From justificare, from justus, iustus, + ficare, from facere.

Wikipedia

  1. Justify

    Justify is the second single released from the 2008 album, Black Roses by the Finnish rock band, the Rasmus. The song is a symphonic rock song (pehmorock or "plush rock" in Finnish.) The first demo for "Justify" was created in Los Angeles, California at both James Michael's and Desmond Child's studios in January 2007.

ChatGPT

  1. justify

    To justify means to provide a valid explanation, reason, or evidence to support or prove the validity, correctness, or appropriateness of something such as an action, decision, claim, or statement. It can also refer to adjusting the margins of a text so they align with both the left and right side of a page or screen in word processing.

Webster Dictionary

  1. Justifyadjective

    to prove or show to be just; to vindicate; to maintain or defend as conformable to law, right, justice, propriety, or duty

  2. Justifyadjective

    to pronounce free from guilt or blame; to declare or prove to have done that which is just, right, proper, etc.; to absolve; to exonerate; to clear

  3. Justifyadjective

    to treat as if righteous and just; to pardon; to exculpate; to absolve

  4. Justifyadjective

    to prove; to ratify; to confirm

  5. Justifyadjective

    to make even or true, as lines of type, by proper spacing; to adjust, as type. See Justification, 4

  6. Justifyverb

    to form an even surface or true line with something else; to fit exactly

  7. Justifyverb

    to take oath to the ownership of property sufficient to qualify one's self as bail or surety

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary

  1. Justify

    jus′ti-fī, v.t. to make just: to prove or show to be just or right: to vindicate: to absolve:—pr.p. jus′tifying; pa.p. jus′tified.adj. Justifī′able, that may be justified or defended.—n. Justifī′ableness.—adv. Justifī′ably.—n. Justificā′tion, vindication: absolution: a plea of sufficient reason for.—adjs. Jus′tificātive, Jus′tificātory, having power to justify.—n. Jus′tifier, one who defends, or vindicates: he who pardons and absolves from guilt and punishment.—Justification by faith, the doctrine that men are justified by faith in Christ. [Fr.,—L. justificārejustus, just, facĕre, to make.]

Suggested Resources

  1. Justify

    Warrant vs Justify -- In this Grammar.com article you will learn the differences between the words Warrant and Justify.

Matched Categories

British National Corpus

  1. Spoken Corpus Frequency

    Rank popularity for the word 'justify' in Spoken Corpus Frequency: #4473

  2. Written Corpus Frequency

    Rank popularity for the word 'justify' in Written Corpus Frequency: #4377

  3. Verbs Frequency

    Rank popularity for the word 'justify' in Verbs Frequency: #429

Usage in printed sourcesFrom: 

How to pronounce justify?

How to say justify in sign language?

Numerology

  1. Chaldean Numerology

    The numerical value of justify in Chaldean Numerology is: 6

  2. Pythagorean Numerology

    The numerical value of justify in Pythagorean Numerology is: 2

Examples of justify in a Sentence

  1. Jack Vanderhei:

    There's probably a lot of false optimism there, there hasn't been enough change in the underlying conditions over the last two years to justify a doubling of 'very confident' households.

  2. Leana Wen:

    I'm concerned that these recommendations suggest someone who has had substantial exposure to a person with Covid-19 now doesn't need to get tested, this is key to contact tracing, especially given that up to 50 % of all transmission is due to people who do not have symptoms. One wonders why The CDC guidelines were changed -- is it to justify continued deficit of testing ?

  3. Devin Sloane:

    There are no words to justify my behavior.

  4. Alexandra Brodsky:

    I found in my accounts that men try to justify this by saying it’s their right to spread their seed and that it’s a natural impulse for them.

  5. Adam Sarhan:

    We're now seeing a lot of weaker-than-expected economic data coming out, the bullish catalyst just isn't there to justify further rate hikes.

Popularity rank by frequency of use

justify#1#9531#10000

Translations for justify

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"justify." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2025. Web. 6 Mar. 2025. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/justify>.

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