Word
justifying
Phoneticsjus·ti·fy·ing, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈdʒəstəˌfaɪɪŋ/
UK/dʒˈʌstɪfˌaɪɪŋ/
Definitions
01giving reasons
B2 · Upper Intermediate
v. explaining why something is right, reasonable, or necessary.
v. providing a valid reason or excuse for an action, belief, or decision to show it is warranted.
“He spent the whole meeting justifying his decision to hire more staff.”
“The CEO found herself justifying the aggressive expansion strategy to a room full of skeptical shareholders during the annual review.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
02aligning text
C1 · Advanced Computing Technical
v. arranging text so that it forms a straight line on both the left and right sides of the page.
v. adjusting the spaces between words in a line of type so that the edges are even on both sides.
“Try justifying the text to make the newsletter look more professional.”
“The graphic designer spent hours justifying the columns of the magazine to ensure the layout appeared balanced and symmetrical.”
Synonyms
03the process of explaining
C1 · Advanced Uncountable noun Academic
n. the act of showing that something is fair or right.
n. the action of showing something to be right or reasonable; the process of justification.
“The justifying of his actions took longer than the actions themselves.”
“The constant justifying of budget cuts became a central theme of the political campaign throughout the autumn.”
Synonyms
Usage
The verb is transitive and requires a direct object or a gerund phrase.
Pitfall
justifying for his mistake
justifying his mistake
Justify is a transitive verb; it should not be followed by the preposition 'for' when introducing the action being defended.
Real-World Examples
“He spent much of his address justifying the war with Iran, which has spiked global oil prices while dragging down his approval ratings since the US and Israel launched the military action in February.” “And the positions are so few, and the reward so high.”
Nesrine is clear – this isn’t about agreeing with or justifying Arday’s actions.” - Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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