English Reference
adjective

justified

adj.
US /ˈdʒəstəˌfaɪd/ UK /dʒˈʌstɪfˌaɪd/ jus·ti·fied

  1. 01 B2 Upper Intermediate

    having a good or fair reason for doing something.

    having or shown to have a fair, right, or reasonable basis for an action or belief.

    Simple

    The teacher felt justified in giving the student a lower grade because the work was late.

    In context

    The board felt justified in their decision to terminate the contract, citing several documented instances of negligence and missed deadlines.

  2. 02 C1 Advanced Technical Computing

    text that is straight and even on both the left and right sides of the page.

    referring to text where the word spacing is adjusted so that the lines fall even with both margins.

    Simple

    Please make sure the text in your report is justified so it looks professional.

    In context

    The designer preferred justified text for the brochure, arguing that the clean vertical lines on both margins created a more formal and structured aesthetic.

    Usage

    Usually placed before the noun or after a linking verb like 'is'.

But if they have the ability to help, how could refusing be morally justified?

The Guardian· 17 Aug 2026

Asked about the team being booed off at the end, he said: "I think it was justified, to be honest.

BBC News· 13 Aug 2026
This entry
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Common
Updated