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
And just remember that ​question for ⁠a couple of days from now, okay? — Olivia-Anne Cleary, Time, 21 Oct. 2026 In addition to the brand’s e-commerce, the collection will also be available in a new temporary store that opens in Milan this week and for a run of just over four months. — Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 20 Oct. 2026
Adjective
Dissatisfied HexClad customers have filled internet forums with their complaints about the pans’ longevity and quality, lamenting how eggs and other foods started sticking after just months—sometimes weeks—of regular use. — Wilder Davies, Bon Appetit Magazine, 17 Sep. 2026 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 See All Example Sentences for just
Recent Examples of Synonyms for just
Adverb
  • Sigma Alpha Epsilon expects all collegiate members to hold one another accountable, and the North Carolina Beta Chapter leaders did exactly that.
    — Adam Sabes, FOXNews.com, 21 Oct. 2026
  • That sense of urgency is exactly what scammers rely on to get your money.
    — Carolyn Gusoff, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026
Adverb
  • But behind that number is a battlefield engagement, a target barely visible across the landscape, and a shot whose details may remain classified or disputed for years.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Season 2 picks up from where things left off, with Michael and Diana having barely arrived in Spain when they are dragged back into the fold to answer questions around Ricardo’s death.
    — Max Goldbart, Deadline, 20 Oct. 2026
Adverb
  • Advertisement As a result, many older users who may have only had glancing interactions with AI have become avid users.
    — Andrew R. Chow, Time, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Zygielbaum was surprised however that the DOJ reached out only to him, and not the Republican clerk in neighboring Weld County, which also houses a sizable portion of that same congressional district.
    — Miles Parks, NPR, 22 Oct. 2026
Adverb
  • And yesterday is one of those days when your family ain’t acting right.
    — Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 25 Oct. 2026
  • And the need to blend all the sound together right before the ear canal can make the more complex instrumentation sound more sloppy than precise.
    — Mark Knapp, PC Magazine, 24 Oct. 2026
Adverb
  • Looking forward, adding Tesla will simply make a new SpaceX’s huge need for cash far more acute.
    — Shawn Tully, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Loretta Sanchez, a former Democratic congresswoman from Orange County who credits Becerra with encouraging her to run for Congress, put it simply.
    — Ben Wieder, Los Angeles Times, 21 Oct. 2026
Adverb
  • That hasn't been the trend lately, as Friday's slide in the stock market coincided with an aggressive sell-off in bonds, a trade largely driven by fears of escalating oil prices hitting both asset classes.
    — Jeff Cox, CNBC, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Ashley’s view Concerns about AI and technology have simmered under the surface of American campaign politics for years, but have never been a fully salient everyday issue for voters until lately.
    — Ashley Gold, semafor.com, 23 Oct. 2026
Adjective
  • The Mississippi attorney general’s office said its review found the fatal shooting was a justified use of force.
    — Jack Brook, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Crump on Monday pointed out that authorities have yet to release video footage of the encounter to support the attorney general's finding that the shooting was a justified use of force.
    — SOPHIE BATES, Arkansas Online, 20 Oct. 2026
Adjective
  • Our tortured contemporary education is a logical outgrowth of its origin story.
    — Kamau Bobb October 21, Literary Hub, 21 Oct. 2026
  • But with wingers like Temwa Chawinga and Michelle Cooper, the logical spot for her was striker.
    — Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 21 Oct. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Just.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/just. Accessed 26 Oct. 2026.

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