# justified

/ˈdʒəstəˌfaɪd/ (US) · /dʒˈʌstɪfˌaɪd/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/justified
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. having a good reason

adjective · CEFR B2

having a good or fair reason for doing something.

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

- The teacher felt justified in giving the student a lower grade because the work was late.
- The board felt justified in their decision to terminate the contract, citing several documented instances of negligence and missed deadlines.

### 2. aligned text

adjective · CEFR C1 · Technical

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

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

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

## Examples

- 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.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.