# justifying

/ˈdʒəstəˌfaɪɪŋ/ (US) · /dʒˈʌstɪfˌaɪɪŋ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/justifying
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. giving reasons

verb · CEFR B2

explaining why something is right, reasonable, or necessary.

For teachers: 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.

### 2. aligning text

verb · CEFR C1 · Technical

arranging text so that it forms a straight line on both the left and right sides of the page.

For teachers: 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.

### 3. the process of explaining

noun · CEFR C1 · Academic

the act of showing that something is fair or right.

For teachers: 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.

## Examples

- He is justifying his high prices by showing the quality of the materials.
- The manager spent the entire meeting justifying the budget cuts to the concerned staff members.
- While the CEO attempted to frame the layoffs as a necessary strategic shift, many employees felt he was merely justifying a short-term pursuit of profit at the expense of long-term stability.

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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.