justified
adj.adj. having a good reason for doing or feeling something. If an action is justified, it is fair or right in that situation.
adj. having a legitimate basis or acceptable reason for an action, belief, or feeling. Often used to describe a decision that is supported by evidence or moral logic.
The teacher felt justified in giving the student a lower grade.
The company argued that the price increase was justified by the rising cost of raw materials.
While the public was initially outraged, the government maintained that the strict security measures were justified by the credible threat to national safety.
Often followed by the preposition 'in' when describing a person's feelings, or 'by' when describing the evidence.
He was justified to do itHe was justified in doing itWhen followed by an action, 'justified' typically takes the preposition 'in' plus a gerund rather than an infinitive.