First Known Use: 14th century
Dictionary
justify
verb jus·ti·fy \ˈjəs-tə-ˌfī\
: to provide or be a good reason for (something) : to prove or show (something) to be just, right, or reasonable
: to provide a good reason for the actions of (someone)
: to position (text) so that the edges form a straight line
jus·ti·fiedjus·ti·fy·ing
Full Definition of JUSTIFY
transitive verb
1
a : to prove or show to be just, right, or reasonable b (1) : to show to have had a sufficient legal reason (2) : to qualify (oneself) as a surety by taking oath to the ownership of sufficient property
2
3
a : to space (as lines of text) so that the lines come out even at the margin b : to make even by justifying <justified margins>
intransitive verb
1
a : to show a sufficient lawful reason for an act done b : to qualify as bail or surety
2
: to justify lines of text
— jus·ti·fi·er \-ˌfī(-ə)r\ noun
See justify defined for English-language learners
See justify defined for kids
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Origin of JUSTIFY
Middle English justifien, from Anglo-French or Late Latin; Anglo-French justifier, from Late Latin justificare, from Latin justus
Related to JUSTIFY
- Synonyms
- excuse
Synonym Discussion of JUSTIFY
maintain, assert, defend, vindicate, justify mean to uphold as true, right, just, or reasonable. maintain stresses firmness of conviction <steadfastly maintained his innocence>. assert suggests determination to make others accept one's claim <asserted her rights>. defend implies maintaining in the face of attack or criticism <defended his voting record>. vindicate implies successfully defending <his success vindicated our faith in him>. justify implies showing to be true, just, or valid by appeal to a standard or to precedent <the action was used to justify military intervention>.
Rhymes with JUSTIFY
abide by, Adonai, alibi, alkali, amplify, apple-pie, argufy, assegai, azo dye, basify, beautify, butterfly, by-and-by, caddis fly, calcify, certify, Chou En-lai, citify, clarify, classify, coalify, cockneyfy, codify, college try, cottage pie, crucify, cut-and-try, cutie-pie, DIY, damnify, damselfly, dandify, deify, densify, dignify, dobsonfly, do-or-die, dragonfly, dulcify, eagle eye, edify, evil eye, falsify, fancify, fortify, frenchify, fructify, gasify, Gemini, gentrify, glorify, goggle-eye, goldeneye, gratify, Haggai, harvest fly, hexerei, high and dry, hip and thigh, Hokusai, hook and eye, horrify, hoverfly, humble pie, Iceni, kiss good-bye, lazy eye, lignify, liquefy, lithify, Lorelei, lullaby, Madurai, magnify, Malachi, Maracay, minify, modify, mollify, Molokai, Mordecai, mortify, multi-ply, multiply, mummify, mystify, nazify, notify, nullify, occupy, old school tie, on standby, on the fly, ossify, overbuy, overfly, overlie, pacify, Paraguay, passerby, peccavi, petrify, PPI, preachify, prettify, private eye, prophesy, purify, putrefy, qualify, quantify, ramify, rarefy, ratify, RBI, rectify, reify, res gestae, robber fly, runner's high, Russify, samurai, sanctify, satisfy, scarify, schwarmerei, semidry, set store by, shepherd's pie, shoofly pie, signify, simplify, Spanish fly, specify, speechify, stratify, stultify, stupefy, sweetie pie, Tenebrae, terrify, testify, tie-and-dye, tigereye, Trans Alai, tumble dry, typify, uglify, underlie, unify, Uruguay, Veneti, verify, versify, vilify, vinify, vitrify, vivify, weather eye, Windsor tie, xanthene dye, yuppify, zombify
JUSTIFIES Defined for Kids
justify
verb jus·ti·fy \ˈjəs-tə-ˌfī\
jus·ti·fiedjus·ti·fy·ing
Definition of JUSTIFY for Kids
: to prove or show to be just, right, or reasonable <How can you justify your actions?>
— jus·ti·fi·able \-ə-bəl\ adjective
— jus·ti·fi·ably \-blē\ adverb
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