Justified Meaning: Definition, Examples, and Translations

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justified

[ˈdʒʌstɪfaɪd ]

Definitions

^{Context #1 | Adjective}

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Having been made or declared legally or morally right or acceptable.

Synonyms

acceptable, legitimate, reasonable, valid, warranted.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

Word	Description / Examples
justified	Used when showing that an action or decision is right given the circumstances. Often used in legal or moral contexts. His actions were justified given the threats he received The manager felt justified in firing the employee for theft
legitimate	Used when something conforms to the law or rules. Often used in legal, official, or formal contexts. He is the legitimate heir to the throne They have a legitimate business license
valid	Used to describe something that is legally or logically sound. Often used in legal or formal contexts. His passport is still valid She made some valid points during the debate
warranted	Used when something is justified or necessary. Often used in contexts where actions or feelings are explained. The police action was warranted given the evidence His anger was warranted considering the situation
reasonable	Used to describe something that is fair and sensible. Often used in everyday contexts. It's reasonable to assume that he’s late because of traffic She offered a reasonable explanation for her absence
acceptable	Used to describe something that is satisfactory or allowed. Often used in general contexts. Cheating is not acceptable behavior The results of the project were acceptable

Examples of usage

His decision was fully justified by the circumstances.
She felt completely justified in asking for a raise.

^{Context #2 | Verb}

justify an action

Show or prove to be right or reasonable.

Synonyms

defend, substantiate, support, validate, vindicate.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

Word	Description / Examples
justified	Use this word when you need to show that something is acceptable or reasonable based on the circumstances. Her actions were justified considering the situation. The company's decision to lay off workers is justified by the falling profits.
vindicate	This word is often used when someone proves their innocence after being wrongly accused. There is a strong sense of justice or clearing one's name. The new evidence will vindicate her. He felt vindicated after the charges were dropped.
defend	This word is often used when someone is protecting themselves, their actions, or their beliefs from criticism or attack. He had to defend his thesis in front of the panel. She defended her friend from the accusations.
support	This is used when you want to provide help, assistance, or backing to someone or something. I support your decision to pursue higher education. The charity supports various community projects.
substantiate	Choose this when you need to provide evidence to prove that something is true. You need to substantiate your claims with solid evidence. The lawyer tried to substantiate the alibi.
validate	Use this word when checking if something is accurate or acceptable, often through proof or confirmation. Can you validate this ticket at the counter? The scientist needs to validate the experiment results.

Examples of usage

He tried to justify his behavior with weak excuses.
Can you justify your decision to me?

Translations

To see the translation, please select a language from the options available.

Interesting Facts

Law

In the legal context, to be justified means that an action taken was reasonable under the circumstances.
Self-defense is often cited as a clear example of justified action in law.
Judges frequently assess if actions were justified when determining the outcome of cases.

Philosophy

Philosophers have long debated what it means for beliefs or actions to be justified.
One famous philosophical question asks if beliefs can be justified without certainty.
Ethics often hinge on whether actions taken can be deemed justified by their outcomes.

Psychology

People often justify their actions or decisions to maintain self-esteem, even if those choices are questionable.
Cognitive dissonance theory suggests that when people act against their beliefs, they rationalize their actions to feel justified.
Justification can influence how we perceive fairness in our everyday interactions.

Literature

Characters in literature often struggle with consequences that require them to justify their actions, revealing deeper themes.
In Shakespeare's works, characters frequently rationalize their decisions, illustrating the complex nature of morality.
Justification in storytelling helps the audience understand motives and empathize with characters.

Origin of 'justified'

Main points about word origin

The word comes from the Latin word 'justificare,' which means 'to make just or right.'
In Old French, the form 'justifier' was used before it made its way into English.
The root 'just' links it to ideas of fairness and legality.

The word 'justified' comes from the late Middle English word 'justifien', which means to show to be just or right. The suffix 'ed' was added to form the past tense. The concept of justification has roots in philosophy and law, where it is used to argue for the correctness or acceptability of a decision or action.

Word Frequency Rank

Ranking #3,018, this word is part of upper-intermediate vocabulary. While not among the most basic terms, it appears often enough to be valuable for advanced communication.

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