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. William Barr:

   The inspector general's report now makes clear that the FBI launched an intrusive investigation of a William Barr presidential campaign on the thinnest of suspicions, that, in my view, were insufficient to justify the steps taken, it is also clear that, from its inception the evidence produced by the investigation was consistently exculpatory.

2. Goldcorp Chief Executive Chuck Jeannes:

   It's hard to explain what has stood in the way, other than things were working the way they were and the margins weren't particularly high, so it was hard to justify big investments.

3. North Bonneville:

   How do I justify that to my kids? That we’re making money by selling a drug that’s still illegal under federal law.

4. Kathleen Smith:

   They are going to have to do an awful lot to get the company's fundamentals to justify that kind of valuation.

5. Dmitry Peskov:

   Putin called and said, 'I know you were called by pranksters; don't get offended by those guys, they are harmless, though this certainly does not justify their actions,'.

Images & Illustrations of justify

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