just 1 of 2

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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

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6

just

2 of 2

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
On Saturday and Sunday, the bike corral will be open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. On Monday, the bike corral will be open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Washington Street just south of Lincoln has 800 bike spots. Natalie Davies, Freep.com, 31 Aug. 2025 Today in history Here are just some of the historic events on this date in the past. Daily Briefing, AZCentral.com, 31 Aug. 2025
Adjective
He's watched a quarter century of American presidents repeatedly fail to swerve Putin from what Markov says is a just defense of Russian interests. Charles Maynes, NPR, 14 Aug. 2025 Fourth, recognize that competitive advantage in AI increasingly comes from trust rather than just capabilities. Douglas B. Laney, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for just
Recent Examples of Synonyms for just
Adverb
  • The president has full command of the National Guard and has activated up to 800 troops to support law enforcement, though exactly what form remains to be determined.
    Lindsay Whitehurst, Chicago Tribune, 14 Aug. 2025
  • As the probes twinkle on and off, computational models estimate exactly where each molecule is located—and reconstruct a high-resolution image of the sample.
    Katarina Zimmer, JSTOR Daily, 14 Aug. 2025
Adverb
  • And while that should be central to conversations about tourism, it has barely been mentioned.
    Wilson Santiago Burgos, USA Today, 23 Aug. 2025
  • Breakthrough technologies—such as real-time watershed monitoring or nutrient and plastic pollution control, to name a few—barely register with investors.
    Eyal Harel, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2025
Adverb
  • Youth elk hunt: Oct. 4-5, Oct. 25-26 by permit only.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 26 Aug. 2025
  • Powerball will only show numbers that have won a prize.
    Amaris Encinas, USA Today, 26 Aug. 2025
Adverb
  • But as well as the Highlanders played in the first half, they were shut out in the second half and came within a play or two of letting the Scotts right back in the game.
    Lou Ponsi, Oc Register, 23 Aug. 2025
  • That multi-part tube includes a 0.02-micron filter to take care of everything right down to virus sizes – bacteria, sand, parasites, microplastics and more.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 23 Aug. 2025
Adverb
  • More often, though, the series simply mistakes tragic backstory for meaningful character development.
    Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 28 Aug. 2025
  • The hardest part of becoming a millionaire is simply getting started.
    David Rae, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2025
Adverb
  • The road had been a bit rocky for Starship lately, however.
    Mike Wall, Space.com, 27 Aug. 2025
  • Bands, which submerge personalities in a collective identity, seem to have faltered lately as a unit of musical celebrity.
    Kyle Chayka, New Yorker, 27 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Not the kind that makes headlines, but the kind that simmers just under the surface: quiet, subtle and justified.
    Joe Altieri, Forbes.com, 25 Aug. 2025
  • The four teams from Texas are all justified selections for their respective spots.
    Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Just as a logical gate in a regular computer changes bits from 0 to 1 to allow computation, quantum gates manipulate qubits.
    Ananya Palivela, Scientific American, 30 Aug. 2025
  • For Martin, the path from Turner to the cage is less a leap and more a logical next step.
    Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Just.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/just. Accessed 2 Sep. 2025.

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