justify

B2 · Upper Intermediate

v. to be a strong enough reason to make an action acceptable.

v. to serve as a sufficient warrant or ground for a particular course of action.

“The small increase in speed does not justify the extra risk of an accident.”

“The projected increase in long-term revenue may justify the significant initial investment required for the infrastructure project.”

C1 · Advanced Computing Technical

v. to arrange text so that both the left and right sides of the paragraph are straight.

v. to adjust the spaces between words so that lines of type end evenly at both margins.

“You should justify the text in your formal report to make it look professional.”

“The designer chose to justify the body text to create a clean, block-like aesthetic for the magazine layout.”

C1 · Advanced Law Formal · Technical

v. to show in court that someone had a legal reason for what they did.

v. to demonstrate that a defendant had a sufficient legal reason for an act that is the subject of a charge.

“The lawyer tried to justify his client's actions as self-defense.”

“The defendant was able to justify the use of force by proving he was under immediate threat of physical harm.”

C2 · Proficiency Religion Formal · Literary

v. to declare that someone is free from guilt or sin.

v. to declare or render as righteous or free from the penalty of sin.

Español:absolver

“In many traditions, faith is what justifies a person before God.”

“The theological debate centered on whether an individual is justified by their faith alone or through their charitable works.”