verb (used with object),jus·ti·fied,jus·ti·fy·ing.
to show (an act, claim, statement, etc.) to be just or right: The end does not always justify the means.
to defend or uphold as warranted or well-grounded: Don't try to justify his rudeness.
Theology. to declare innocent or guiltless; absolve; acquit.
Printing.
to make (a line of type) a desired length by spacing the words and letters, especially so that full lines in a column have even margins both on the left and on the right.
to level and square (a strike).
verb (used without object),jus·ti·fied,jus·ti·fy·ing.
Law.
to show a satisfactory reason or excuse for something done.
to qualify as bail or surety.
Printing. (of a line of type) to fit exactly into a desired length.
Origin of justify
1250–1300; Middle English justifien<Old French justifier<Late Latin jūstificāre, equivalent to Latin jūsti- (combining form of jūstusjust1) + -ficāre-fy
SYNONYMS FOR justify
1 vindicate; validate.
2 excuse.
SEE SYNONYMS FOR justify ON THESAURUS.COM
OTHER WORDS FROM justify
jus·ti·fi·er,nounjus·ti·fy·ing·ly,adverbhalf-jus·ti·fied,adjectivepre·jus·ti·fy,verb (used with object),pre·jus·ti·fied,pre·jus·ti·fy·ing.
re·jus·ti·fy,verb (used with object),re·jus·ti·fied,re·jus·ti·fy·ing.un·jus·ti·fied,adjectivewell-jus·ti·fied,adjective
Words nearby justify
justifiable homicide, justification, justification by grace, through faith, justification by works, justificatory, justify, justify the ways of God to men, to, Justin, just in case, Justine, Justinian Code
Does the sending of the message “justify” the tragedy that caused it?
Cover-Ups and Concern Trolls: Actually, It's About Ethics in Suicide Journalism|Arthur Chu|January 3, 2015|DAILY BEAST
No more allowing people to justify their bigotry by spouting a cherry-picked Bible verse.
Dear Leelah, We Will Fight On For You: A Letter to a Dead Trans Teen|Parker Molloy|January 1, 2015|DAILY BEAST
This story was used by some third-century North African Christians to justify the practice of women performing baptisms.
First Anglican Woman Bishop A Return to Christian Roots|Candida Moss|December 18, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Like many other Pakistani Taliban, Jamal has his own horror stories to tell, which he believes can justify any bloody retribution.
Pakistani School Killers Want to Strike the U.S.|Sami Yousafzai, Christopher Dickey|December 17, 2014|DAILY BEAST
With women put in front of the public to justify staying with bad men, we see these justifications in full bloom.
Why Didn’t Camille Dump Bill Cosby?|Amanda Marcotte|December 17, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Perhaps I shall be able to justify it, and make my meaning clearer too, if I give an account of my own feelings about music.
Art|Clive Bell
Thus, although faith is as truly fruitful as it is faith, yet it does not justify as being fruitful, but as being faith.
Loss and Gain|John Henry Newman
No one has done more than Milton to justify this praise, or to make manifest what may be effected by this marriage of words.
English Past and Present|Richard Chevenix Trench
You cannot justify by denying the truth of the Christian religion.
The Battle of The Press|Theophila Carlile Campbell
There are no conceivable ethical or religious interests and no humane goals or values that justify these things.
Preaching and Paganism|Albert Parker Fitch
British Dictionary definitions for justify
justify
/ (ˈdʒʌstɪˌfaɪ) /
verb-fies, -fyingor-fied(mainly tr)
(often passive)to prove or see to be just or valid; vindicatehe was certainly justified in taking the money
to show to be reasonable; warrant or substantiatehis behaviour justifies our suspicion
to declare or show to be free from blame or guilt; absolve
law
to show good reason in court for (some action taken)
to show adequate grounds for doing (that with which a person is charged)to justify a libel
(also intr)printingcomputingto adjust the spaces between words in (a line of type or data) so that it is of the required length or (of a line of type or data) to fit exactly
Protestant theolto account or declare righteous by the imputation of Christ's merits to the sinner
RC theolto change from sinfulness to righteousness by the transforming effects of grace
(also intr)lawto prove (a person) to have sufficient means to act as surety, etc, or (of a person) to qualify to provide bail or surety
Derived forms of justify
justifier, noun
Word Origin for justify
C14: from Old French justifier, from Latin justificāre, from jūstusjust + facere to make