Word
justly
Phoneticsjust·ly, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈdʒəstɫi/
UK/dʒˈʌstli/
Definition
adv. in a way that is fair and right. You use this to describe a decision or a punishment that people believe is deserved.
adv. in a manner that is fair, equitable, or deserved. Often used to describe legal or moral judgments that align with public perception of justice.
Examples
“The judge ruled justly in the case.”
“The community felt that the new law was justly applied to everyone, regardless of their background.”
“The philosopher argued that a justly distributed society is one where every individual's rights are protected by the legal system without exception.”
Examples
simple
“The judge ruled justly in the case.”
contextual
“The community felt that the new law was justly applied to everyone, regardless of their background.”
complex
“The philosopher argued that a justly distributed society is one where every individual's rights are protected by the legal system without exception.”
Real-World Examples
“He was justly proud of Joseph Brodsky ’s mention of him in a Paris Review interview as one of the two “English” poets who drew Brodsky’s admiration, Philip Larkin being the other.” “Many of these core values were laid out by Scott on the 100th birthday of the Guardian, with his justly celebrated centenary essay of 1921.” Etymology
From just + -ly.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
ADVERB
- 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.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL 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: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/justly