justify
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
to give a good reason for something that people might think is wrong or unnecessary.
to provide a valid reason or explanation for an action or belief, especially one that is questioned.
Simple“The manager had to justify the high cost of the new equipment to the owners.”
In context“The researcher was asked to justify her methodology during the peer-review process to ensure the results were considered credible.”
UsageOften used with a gerund (e.g., 'justify doing something') or a noun phrase.
Synonyms - 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
to be a strong enough reason to make an action acceptable.
to serve as a sufficient warrant or ground for a particular course of action.
Simple“The small increase in speed does not justify the extra risk of an accident.”
In context“The projected increase in long-term revenue may justify the significant initial investment required for the infrastructure project.”
- 03 C1 Advanced
to arrange text so that both the left and right sides of the paragraph are straight.
to adjust the spaces between words so that lines of type end evenly at both margins.
Simple“You should justify the text in your formal report to make it look professional.”
In context“The designer chose to justify the body text to create a clean, block-like aesthetic for the magazine layout.”
UsageUsually used in the context of word processing or graphic design.
Synonyms - 04 C1 Advanced
to show in court that someone had a legal reason for what they did.
to demonstrate that a defendant had a sufficient legal reason for an act that is the subject of a charge.
Simple“The lawyer tried to justify his client's actions as self-defense.”
In context“The defendant was able to justify the use of force by proving he was under immediate threat of physical harm.”
SynonymsexoneratevindicateAntonyms - 05 C2 Proficiency
to declare that someone is free from guilt or sin.
to declare or render as righteous or free from the penalty of sin.
Simple“In many traditions, faith is what justifies a person before God.”
In context“The theological debate centered on whether an individual is justified by their faith alone or through their charitable works.”
Usage justify decision
“He will justify his price tag if he can repeat that in this campaign.”
“A poorly selected target might require so much fuel that the value of the metals brought back would not justify the mission.”
From Middle English justifien, from Old French justifier, from Late Latin justificare (“make just”), from Latin justus, iustus (“just”) + ficare (“make”), from facere, equivalent to just + -ify.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.