just 1 of 2

1
2
3
as in only
nothing more than I was just kidding

Synonyms & Similar Words

4
as in right
as stated or indicated without the slightest difference the length of the curtain is just right

Synonyms & Similar Words

5
6

just

2 of 2

adjective

1
2
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4
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6

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective just differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of just are conscientious, honest, honorable, scrupulous, and upright. While all these words mean "having or showing a strict regard for what is morally right," just stresses conscious choice and regular practice of what is right or equitable.

workers given just compensation

How are the words conscientious and scrupulous related as synonyms of just?

Both conscientious and scrupulous imply an active moral sense governing all one's actions and painstaking efforts to follow one's conscience.

conscientious in the completion of her assignments
scrupulous in carrying out the terms of the will

Where would honest be a reasonable alternative to just?

In some situations, the words honest and just are roughly equivalent. However, honest stresses adherence to such virtues as truthfulness, candor, or fairness.

known for being honest in business dealings

When might honorable be a better fit than just?

While in some cases nearly identical to just, honorable suggests a firm holding to codes of right behavior and the guidance of a high sense of honor and duty.

a difficult but honorable decision

When is upright a more appropriate choice than just?

The synonyms upright and just are sometimes interchangeable, but upright implies a strict adherence to moral principles.

a stern and upright minister

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of just
Adverb
Trees that are healthy and free from stress tend to do better at just about everything. Paul Cappiello, Louisville Courier Journal, 3 Oct. 2025 Big horse, calm demeanor On Friday and Saturday nights, people might just bump into Ross on Lower Broadway. Craig Shoup, Nashville Tennessean, 3 Oct. 2025
Adjective
With just days to go before the start of training camps across the NBA, Ben Simmons remains a man without a team. Robert Marvi, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Sep. 2025 Senate Democrats on Friday voted to block a Republican stopgap spending measure that would keep the government open through late November, setting up a perilous showdown with just days before federal funding lapses and no clear path to prevent a partial shutdown. Nik Popli, Time, 19 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for just
Recent Examples of Synonyms for just
Adverb
  • In other words, the top search results aren't always safe, and that's exactly how scammers trick people.
    Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 29 Sep. 2025
  • In 1921 Japanese meteorologist Sakuhei Fujiwhara theorized that two vortices spinning through fluid (which is exactly what tropical cyclones are) could come close enough to each other to begin orbiting a common central point.
    Andrea Thompson, Scientific American, 29 Sep. 2025
Adverb
  • Las Vegas Aces guard Dana Evans could barely speak on the eve of the 2025 WNBA Finals.
    Ben Pickman, New York Times, 4 Oct. 2025
  • Ross passed the day's examination with flying colors, barely flinching at the rubber chicken.
    Craig Shoup, Nashville Tennessean, 3 Oct. 2025
Adverb
  • Recent renovations of Swift's home have only fueled rumors.
    Bryan West, USA Today, 29 Sep. 2025
  • Since the switch to the 14-team playoff format in 2020, only five teams have started 1-3 and made the playoffs.
    Hunter Simpson, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Sep. 2025
Adverb
  • Having the right headline can make the difference between someone reading it and scrolling right by.
    Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, jsonline.com, 3 Oct. 2025
  • After Game 1, in which the Padres’ Nick Pivetta was cruising right up until allowing back-to-back home runs, manager Mike Shildt acted decisively yesterday, replacing Dylan Cease after just 69 pitches (and five strikeouts) through 3 2/3 shutout innings.
    Levi Weaver, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2025
Adverb
  • Acting like a child in the locker room and not even facing reporters postgame is simply unacceptable.
    Drew VonScio, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Oct. 2025
  • The Kindle Scribe has always been about focusing on reading and writing without distractions, and this update simply enhances that experience without getting off track and adding fluff.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 1 Oct. 2025
Adverb
  • Trump has been criticized lately for pressuring the Federal Reserve and threatening its independence.
    Preston Fore, Fortune, 27 Sep. 2025
  • Which would make a nice change of pace from the collective teeth-gnashing in FoCo lately.
    Kyle Newman, Denver Post, 26 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Generation Z is emerging as the most likely age group in America to see political violence as justified, new polling shows.
    Carlo Versano, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Sep. 2025
  • So, Horn’s opportunity for activation seems muddled at best — justified or not.
    Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 24 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Those seemingly chaotic kids are on their way to more obviously logical behavior soon.
    Celeste Kidd, The Conversation, 3 Oct. 2025
  • Things had crumbled enough that Sasaki emerged as a logical option.
    Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Just.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/just. Accessed 5 Oct. 2025.

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