What does justify mean?
Definitions for justify
ˈdʒʌs təˌfaɪjus·ti·fy
Here are all the possible meanings and translations of the word justify.
Princeton's WordNet
justify, warrantverb
show to be reasonable or provide adequate ground for
"The emergency does not warrant all of us buying guns"; "The end justifies the means"
justify, vindicateverb
show to be right by providing justification or proof
"vindicate a claim"
apologize, apologise, excuse, justify, rationalize, rationaliseverb
defend, explain, clear away, or make excuses for by reasoning
"rationalize the child's seemingly crazy behavior"; "he rationalized his lack of success"
absolve, justify, freeverb
let off the hook
"I absolve you from this responsibility"
justifyverb
adjust the spaces between words
"justify the margins"
Wiktionary
justifyverb
To provide an acceptable explanation for.
Etymology: From justificare, from justus, iustus, + ficare, from facere.
justifyverb
To be a good, acceptable reason for; warrant.
Nothing can justify your rude behaviour last night.
Etymology: From justificare, from justus, iustus, + ficare, from facere.
justifyverb
To arrange (text) on a page or a computer screen such that the left and right ends of all lines within paragraphs are aligned.
The text will look better justified.
Etymology: From justificare, from justus, iustus, + ficare, from facere.
justifyverb
To absolve, and declare to be free of blame or sin
Etymology: From justificare, from justus, iustus, + ficare, from facere.
Webster Dictionary
Justifyadjective
to prove or show to be just; to vindicate; to maintain or defend as conformable to law, right, justice, propriety, or duty
Justifyadjective
to pronounce free from guilt or blame; to declare or prove to have done that which is just, right, proper, etc.; to absolve; to exonerate; to clear
Justifyadjective
to treat as if righteous and just; to pardon; to exculpate; to absolve
Justifyadjective
to prove; to ratify; to confirm
Justifyadjective
to make even or true, as lines of type, by proper spacing; to adjust, as type. See Justification, 4
Justifyverb
to form an even surface or true line with something else; to fit exactly
Justifyverb
to take oath to the ownership of property sufficient to qualify one's self as bail or surety
Chambers 20th Century Dictionary
Justify
jus′ti-fī, v.t. to make just: to prove or show to be just or right: to vindicate: to absolve:—pr.p. jus′tifying; pa.p. jus′tified.—adj. Justifī′able, that may be justified or defended.—n. Justifī′ableness.—adv. Justifī′ably.—n. Justificā′tion, vindication: absolution: a plea of sufficient reason for.—adjs. Jus′tificātive, Jus′tificātory, having power to justify.—n. Jus′tifier, one who defends, or vindicates: he who pardons and absolves from guilt and punishment.—Justification by faith, the doctrine that men are justified by faith in Christ. [Fr.,—L. justificāre—justus, just, facĕre, to make.]
British National Corpus
Spoken Corpus Frequency
Rank popularity for the word 'justify' in Spoken Corpus Frequency: #4473
Written Corpus Frequency
Rank popularity for the word 'justify' in Written Corpus Frequency: #4377
Verbs Frequency
Rank popularity for the word 'justify' in Verbs Frequency: #429
Numerology
Chaldean Numerology
The numerical value of justify in Chaldean Numerology is: 6
Pythagorean Numerology
The numerical value of justify in Pythagorean Numerology is: 2
Examples of justify in a Sentence
I don't know how they could get away with those things, i don't know how you justify that in your head, as chief, as mayor.
If even one school or hospital is facing cuts we cannot justify spending a penny on the royals, yet with all public services under intense financial pressure we throw 2.4 million pounds at a new house for Harry.
They don't need to redo the entire administrative process, they just need to better justify what they did, in a way that can satisfy the Supreme Court.
My husband was all excited about the new Apple watch, but couldn't justify a reason to purchase it since he owned three watches, i am convinced that he and Mocha joined forces here to destroy all of his current watches in order to make room for Apple's new watch.
I think theres always when youre hurt, because hes hurt too, you want to justify things, and maybe that was just a way for him to see it in an way that explains some of his hurt, but you know, I think we all know what show we were on, and my dating relationships were very out in the open and everybody knew what they were a part of.
Popularity rank by frequency of use
Translations for justify
From our Multilingual Translation Dictionary
- بررArabic
- justificarCatalan, Valencian
- zarovnat, obhájit, ospravedlnitCzech
- retfærdiggøreDanish
- ausrichten, justieren, rechtfertigenGerman
- δικαιολογώ, στοιχίζω, αιτιολογώ, δικαιώνω, ευθυγραμμίζωGreek
- legitimar, absolver, justificarSpanish
- oikeuttaa, perustella, tasataFinnish
- justifierFrench
- indokol, igazolHungarian
- giustificareItalian
- 言い開くJapanese
- justifyLatin
- whakawhaihuruhuru, tautoko, whaihuruhuruMāori
- uitlijnen, rechtvaardigenDutch
- wyjustować, usprawiedliwiaćPolish
- justificar, absolverPortuguese
- выравнивать, обосновывать, оправдать, оправдыватьRussian
- arsyetoj, shpjegojAlbanian
- frita från skuldSwedish
- biện hộVietnamese
- 辯解Chinese
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"justify." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2022. Web. 18 May 2022. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/justify>.
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