Definitions for justify
ˈdʒʌs təˌfaɪjus·ti·fy

Princeton's WordNet(4.44 / 16 votes)Rate this definition:

1. justify, warrant(verb)

   show to be reasonable or provide adequate ground for

   "The emergency does not warrant all of us buying guns"; "The end justifies the means"

2. justify, vindicate(verb)

   show to be right by providing justification or proof

   "vindicate a claim"

3. apologize, apologise, excuse, justify, rationalize, rationalise(verb)

   defend, explain, clear away, or make excuses for by reasoning

   "rationalize the child's seemingly crazy behavior"; "he rationalized his lack of success"

4. absolve, justify, free(verb)

   let off the hook

   "I absolve you from this responsibility"

5. justify(verb)

   adjust the spaces between words

   "justify the margins"

Wiktionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. justify(Verb)

   To provide an acceptable explanation for.

   Etymology: From justificare, from justus, iustus, + ficare, from facere.

2. justify(Verb)

   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.

3. justify(Verb)

   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.

4. justify(Verb)

   To absolve, and declare to be free of blame or sin

   Etymology: From justificare, from justus, iustus, + ficare, from facere.

Webster Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Justify(adj)

   to prove or show to be just; to vindicate; to maintain or defend as conformable to law, right, justice, propriety, or duty

2. Justify(adj)

   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

3. Justify(adj)

   to treat as if righteous and just; to pardon; to exculpate; to absolve

4. Justify(adj)

   to prove; to ratify; to confirm

5. Justify(adj)

   to make even or true, as lines of type, by proper spacing; to adjust, as type. See Justification, 4

6. Justify(verb)

   to form an even surface or true line with something else; to fit exactly

7. Justify(verb)

   to take oath to the ownership of property sufficient to qualify one's self as bail or surety

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. 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

1. Spoken Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'justify' in Spoken Corpus Frequency: #4473

2. Written Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'justify' in Written Corpus Frequency: #4377

3. Verbs Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'justify' in Verbs Frequency: #429

How to pronounce justify?

1. 

   Alex

   US English

   

   Daniel

   British

   

   Karen

   Australian

   

   Veena

   Indian

How to say justify in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of justify in Chaldean Numerology is: 6

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of justify in Pythagorean Numerology is: 2

Examples of justify in a Sentence

1. Anuj Somany:

   It has been often seen by the people that an immoral person even thinks that whatever he does is right , so does it justify his point as right.

2. Ewan McGregor:

   Although I wear some padding for Ray to make him heavier, this scene had to justify that padding. It wouldn’t make sense for me to wear padding and not be fat when I got out of the bath. So when I got out of the bath, I was properly overweight for me.

3. Mother Teresa:

   Please choose the way of peace…In the short term there may be winners and losers in this war that we all dread. But that never can, nor never will justify the suffering, pain and loss of life your weapons will cause.

4. Natalia Martinez:

   But it has allowed the Cuban government to manipulate this status in order to be able to justify its actions. being a relatively recent Miami re-transplant, I think I have an optimistic view.

5. Svein Moxnes Harfjeld:

   One would need a contango in the oil market to justify floating storage. Given the current developments in the oil market this cannot be ruled out, continued oil demand and longer transportation distances combined with no fleet growth should support our expectations for 2015 on average to be better than 2014.

Images & Illustrations of justify

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