Definition of justnext
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as in only
nothing more than I was just kidding

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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
South Korea just launched its first orbital mission of the year. — Mike Wall, Space.com, 7 Oct. 2026 The title is only just hitting the market now despite its 2025 order, and takes a key spot in Boat Rocker Studios’ slate this year. — Max Goldbart, Deadline, 7 Oct. 2026
Adjective
Kelly Osbourne is sharing the deeply personal message her father, Ozzy Osbourne, gave her just days before his death. — Sameen Chaudhry, USA Today, 15 Sep. 2026 In fact, similar materials that take months to produce can be created in just days. — Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 6 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for just
Recent Examples of Synonyms for just
Adverb
  • No two rooms are exactly alike, although all make use of a similar restrained coastal aesthetic of blues, grays, and whites.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Oct. 2026
  • In the first of two nights there Monday, Williams performed for almost exactly two hours without doing a single Paramore song — and what’s remarkable is, nobody cared.
    — Chris Willman, Variety, 8 Oct. 2026
Adverb
  • The ministry said in a statement on Friday that health facilities in coastal, western and southern areas of the province have closed or are barely partially functioning.
    — AHMED AL-HAJ, Arkansas Online, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Until, suddenly, the life drains from his eyes, sometimes for barely a second, and returning before anyone else in the scene notices.
    — Clayton Davis, Variety, 6 Oct. 2026
Adverb
  • One woman writing for Hers described spending about an hour working up the courage for her first weight-loss shot, only to find the thin needle barely hurt.
    — Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 8 Oct. 2026
  • His films have so far ended in darkness, offering only the belief that light might exist somewhere ahead.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 8 Oct. 2026
Adverb
  • Negotiations ran right up until the deal was unanimously approved during Tuesday’s marathon City Commission meeting and budget hearing, with Underline leaders agreeing to the city’s various asks.
    — Michelle Marchante, Miami Herald, 3 Oct. 2026
  • Its double-sided blade and dual-direction rotation help create creamy, scoopable results right at home.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 Oct. 2026
Adverb
  • Demand, however, for multifamily will grow along with interest rates, simply because fewer people will be able to afford to buy a home.
    — Diana Olick, CNBC, 8 Oct. 2026
  • While the university grappled with yet another football scandal, an Ann Arbor moving crew simply got to work—sorting, packing and hauling away the remnants of a fallen career, one item at a time, over the span of six hours.
    — Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 8 Oct. 2026
Adverb
  • Well, lately the significant moments have been meeting my new audience, the kids.
    — Katie Bain, Billboard, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Leiber’s more playful bags have been getting red carpet time lately, too.
    — Maggie Clancy, Footwear News, 2 Oct. 2026
Adjective
  • If supply begins catching up faster than expected, the market’s skepticism toward the durability of today’s earnings may prove justified.
    — Isabella Gao, CNBC, 29 Sep. 2026
  • The menu is no phonebook, and what has made the cut is well-justified.
    — Kat Chen, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Sep. 2026
Adjective
  • Now five decades in the business, the company framed the launch as the next logical step for a brand with products that are built to last and to be passed on between friends, families, and now shoppers.
    — Roy Stephen Canivel, Footwear News, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Eight of the trophies the club won under Mansour came during the years under investigation, so handing them over to the teams that finished behind City while following the rules seems like a logical solution.
    — Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 29 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Just.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/just. Accessed 8 Oct. 2026.

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