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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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just

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adjective

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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
Johnson started all 40 games for Michigan last season, emerging as a breakout sophomore after starting just eight games as a freshman at Illinois, and capped his rise with a double‑double in the national title game under May. Doug Myers, CBS News, 24 June 2026 Sayer had just graduated from Chico High School on June 5, said Sid Patel, the special agent in charge of the FBI’s Sacramento office. Louis Casiano, FOXNews.com, 24 June 2026
Adjective
With locations across Atlanta and an easy online sign-up process, getting started takes just minutes. Kayla Rivera, AJC.com, 9 June 2026 With just days until the kick off of the FIFA World Cup 2026, Telemundo is tapping into the power of one of its biggest Super Series names to fuel fútbol fandom. Veronica Villafañe, Forbes.com, 6 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for just
Recent Examples of Synonyms for just
Adverb
  • Debating the ‘Suez moment’ As the two sides enter into the next phase of negotiation, observers are watching closely for what exactly the US gained from a conflict that took a heavy global economic toll.
    Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 20 June 2026
  • From Louis through the book, and then his mother knows exactly how to string him along, when to give him love and when to take it away.
    Precious Fondren, Los Angeles Times, 20 June 2026
Adverb
  • And three of them — Laurie Canter, Peter Uihlein and Caleb Surratt — just barely made it after finishing right on the cutline at 4 over.
    Matt Schubert, New York Times, 20 June 2026
  • The uncomfortable truth here is that whether anyone is keeping that eye depends on which level of government prevails, and the contest has barely begun.
    Dara-Abasi Ita, Forbes.com, 20 June 2026
Adverb
  • But a federal appeals court reversed that decision, ruling the Voting Rights Act can only be enforced by the federal government and not through lawsuits brought by individual voters or groups.
    Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 21 June 2026
  • In 1908 a significant court ruling determined that only those born to Parsi fathers are recognized by the state as Parsi, laying the groundwork for more than a century of exclusion.
    Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 21 June 2026
Adverb
  • Drug use has become more visible and has moved right outside the child care center's front door, Reyes said.
    Jason Rantala, CBS News, 24 June 2026
  • Panama had a golden opportunity in the first 10 minutes after being awarded a free kick right outside Croatia's box.
    Monica Alba, NBC news, 24 June 2026
Adverb
  • To pull it off, the show’s creative team had to build a rock star from the ground up, crafting a visual identity, creating music that could stand on its own outside the series, and transforming Reid into a performer capable of owning a crowd rather than simply acting in front of one.
    Precious Fondren, Los Angeles Times, 20 June 2026
  • Every fuel truck destroyed, ammunition convoy disrupted or logistics hub struck forces Russian commanders to expend additional time, resources and manpower simply maintaining battlefield operations.
    Hunter LaCroix, Baltimore Sun, 20 June 2026
Adverb
  • Though the Dodgers should have several high-leverage arms to fill in for Diaz, virtually all of their relief options have struggled lately.
    Peter Chawaga, Forbes.com, 19 June 2026
  • Jim Cramer has been hot on Intel lately, and Thursday's news just reinforced his conviction.
    Morgan Chittum, CNBC, 19 June 2026
Adjective
  • For all of the justified concern over the potential for AI to automate work, the rise of AI babysitting points to how the technology is already changing jobs.
    Lila Shroff, The Atlantic, 18 June 2026
  • True, the university’s effort to unload the property sparked a backlash that proved justified.
    The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 8 June 2026
Adjective
  • Following the logical evidence feels like Detective 101, but their boss is gunning for an arrest so Gonzales gives in to Baxter’s impulse.
    Erin Qualey, Vulture, 24 June 2026
  • Under this framework, participating engineering teams must successfully demonstrate operational quantum hardware that utilizes a specific range of low-hundreds logical qubits before the 2028 deadline.
    Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 24 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Just.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/just. Accessed 27 Jun. 2026.

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