ENGLISH
REFERENCE

justifiable

adj.
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈdʒəstəˌfaɪəbəɫ// UK //dʒˈʌstɪfˌaɪəbəl// jus·ti·fi·able

adj. having a good reason for an action or a belief. If something is justifiable, you can explain why it is right or fair.

adj. capable of being defended or shown to be right, fair, or reasonable. Often used to describe decisions, expenses, or emotional reactions that meet a standard of logic or ethics.


SIMPLE

The extra cost is justifiable because the quality is much higher.

CONTEXTUAL

The manager argued that the price increase was justifiable given the rising cost of raw materials.

COMPLEX

In legal contexts, a defendant must prove that their actions were a justifiable response to an immediate threat rather than an act of unprovoked aggression.

Origin

From Middle French justifiable. By surface analysis, justify + -able.

Usage

Often used predicatively after linking verbs like 'be', 'seem', or 'become'.

Pitfall

a justifiable of the costa justification of the costLearners sometimes use the adjective 'justifiable' when the noun 'justification' is required.

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