unjustified

adjective

un·​jus·​ti·​fied ˌən-ˈjə-stə-ˌfīd 

: not justified: such as

a

: not demonstrably correct or judicious : not warranted or appropriate

unjustified anger

jumping to unjustified conclusions

an unjustified punishment

b

: not spaced to be even

unjustified lines of text

an unjustified margin

Examples of unjustified in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

For those who view these shootings as unjustified, however, the federal government’s decision to close off the investigations only reinforces the belief that police accountability is a farce. —Diane Goldstein, Oc Register, 30 Jan. 2026

If a judge finds that use of force unjustified ahead of a trial, that would determine the city was liable, and a trial might focus only on what plaintiffs are entitled to receive. —Ryan Oehrli, Charlotte Observer, 29 Jan. 2026

In this context, the Hall snub is a fitting—if unjustified—rebuke. —Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 28 Jan. 2026

The beauty of CEFs is that there are always some of these funds trading at unjustified discounts to net asset value (NAV, or the value of their underlying portfolios). —Michael Foster, Forbes.com, 24 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for unjustified

• acetamide
• acetonide
• acidified
• antimonide
• beatified
• benzaldehyde
• borohydride
• chalcogenide
• commodified
• decalcified
• declassified
• disaccharide

Legal Definition

unjustified

adjective

un·​jus·​ti·​fied

ˌən-ˈjəs-tə-ˌfīd

: not justified

an unjustified intrusion