as in legitimate
capable of being defended with good reasoning against verbal attack
had justifiable reasons for leaving early
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 justifiable
Should paramilitary groups now form in response to the deteriorating security situation, there would be justifiable concerns that history may repeat itself.
—
Kevin Whitaker, Foreign Affairs, 15 Dec. 2025
The Athletic's Tim Britton projected him for a six-year, $153 million contract last month, which is justifiable in context, but is also a major expenditure for a soft-tosser who's never qualified for the ERA title.
—Jackson Roberts, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Dec. 2025
Consuming alcohol is a justifiable response to the Joining, its role in Helen’s death and the post-apocalyptic world it’s created, but over-reliance on it is nothing new for Carol.
—Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 17 Nov. 2025
Barring goaltender Juuse Saros setting an NHL record for most saves in a game, there would have been no justifiable excuse to lose this game.
—Peter Baugh, New York Times, 11 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for justifiable
Kevin Whitaker, Foreign Affairs, 15 Dec. 2025
The Athletic's Tim Britton projected him for a six-year, $153 million contract last month, which is justifiable in context, but is also a major expenditure for a soft-tosser who's never qualified for the ERA title.
—Jackson Roberts, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Dec. 2025
Consuming alcohol is a justifiable response to the Joining, its role in Helen’s death and the post-apocalyptic world it’s created, but over-reliance on it is nothing new for Carol.
—Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 17 Nov. 2025
Barring goaltender Juuse Saros setting an NHL record for most saves in a game, there would have been no justifiable excuse to lose this game.
—Peter Baugh, New York Times, 11 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for justifiable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for justifiable
Adjective
-
Another group, the Hokkaido Bear Research Society, has vocally opposed killing bears except for legitimate hunting purposes.—
Jessie Yeung,
CNN Money,
7 Nov. 2025
-
To review or object to instances where our partners assert a legitimate interest in utilizing your data, please visit our vendors page.—
Matthew Strauss,
Pitchfork,
7 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
The Constitution doesn’t let government officials pick which viewpoints are acceptable.—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
7 Nov. 2025
-
Hans von Spakovsky, a former DOJ attorney and senior fellow at the Heritage Foundation, said the politicization started when Eric Holder became attorney general in 2009 and altered the definition of what was considered acceptable protocol under the DOJ, from that point onward.—
Kaelan Deese,
The Washington Examiner,
6 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
Both must meet demanding performance standards, operate on efficient edge-compute systems, deliver provable safety, and scale in a commercially viable way.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
7 Jan. 2026
-
Pauly ranks among Malayalam cinema’s most bankable stars, known for selecting commercially viable projects across genres.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
7 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
There seemed to be a rational acceptance of the outcome.—
James McNicholas,
New York Times,
9 Nov. 2025
-
Therefore, the present work supports the belief that rational materials design at both the macro and atomic levels can solve long-standing challenges, according to a press release.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
8 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
That said, reasonable preparation can help even those familiar with international payment systems avoid high fees, long waits and general confusion.—
Jason Phillips,
Kansas City Star,
6 Jan. 2026
-
That’s understandable and reasonable, and fans have every right to express their fandom through frustration when teams don’t live up to expectations.—
Paul Dehner Jr,
New York Times,
6 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Democrats are currently so desperate for strong male role models to promote as candidates that they’re all tangled up over whether a burly Maine oysterman’s Nazi-symbol tattoo is defensible.—
Sophie Gilbert,
The Atlantic,
5 Nov. 2025
-
Maranghides told me that the idea of defensible space has at times become part of the problem.—
Ingfei Chen,
New Yorker,
22 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Justifiable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/justifiable. Accessed 10 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share