1
as in reasonable
based on sound reasoning or information
in a well-justified ruling the court voted unanimously to overturn the law
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in deserved
being what is called for by accepted standards of right and wrong
the use of force to capture the armed fugitive was fully justified
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in explained
to be an acceptable reason for
you seem to think that losing a basketball game justifies a temper tantrum
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in defended
to continue to declare to be true or proper despite opposition or objections
failed to justify the need for a war at this time
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 justified
Tom Vanden Brook, USA Today, 13 June 2025
Iran on April 14 urged Israel not to retaliate militarily to an unprecedented attack overnight, which Tehran presented as a justified response to a deadly strike on its consulate building in Damascus.
—Amir Daftari, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 June 2025
Graeme Taskerud, Denver Post, 11 Apr. 2025
The record signing has justified his hefty price tag with goals (eight), assists (four) and a high work rate out of possession across 32 appearances.
—Andy Naylor, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for justified
Adjective
The deployment of thousands of National Guard troops to is justified and was approved by the voters who elected Trump.
—Tom Vanden Brook, USA Today, 13 June 2025
Iran on April 14 urged Israel not to retaliate militarily to an unprecedented attack overnight, which Tehran presented as a justified response to a deadly strike on its consulate building in Damascus.
—Amir Daftari, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 June 2025
Verb
Weld County District Attorney Michael Rourke determined the officers were justified in their use of force and cleared them in November 2021 for firing back at Miller, according to the news release.
—Graeme Taskerud, Denver Post, 11 Apr. 2025
The record signing has justified his hefty price tag with goals (eight), assists (four) and a high work rate out of possession across 32 appearances.
—Andy Naylor, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for justified
Recent Examples of Synonyms for justified
Adjective
-
Recent verdicts have far exceeded historical benchmarks, and without reasonable limits, runaway jury awards threaten the city’s ability to fund essential services.—
Paul Vallas,
Chicago Tribune,
20 June 2025
-
Conrad is a 6-3 defenseman who can skate and has shown reasonable offense in the Q.—
Corey Pronman,
New York Times,
20 June 2025
Adjective
-
Around the league While WBD’s Zaslav said this week that U.S. sports has never been much of a driver for HBO Max signups, TNT Sports took a well deserved victory lap with its coverage of the French Open this week.—
Alex Sherman,
CNBC,
12 June 2025
-
Anyway, here’s what got the most deserved laughter this week in late night.—
Bethy Squires,
Vulture,
6 June 2025
Verb
-
Another teacher explained to me that I can be paid 50% of my husband’s Social Security benefit instead.—
Liz Weston,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
13 Apr. 2025
-
The new exemption for technology can be partially explained by the how the supply chain works, but also reinforces where the greatest pain will be felt.—
Lori Ann LaRocco,
CNBC,
12 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
This rivalry continued into Survivor Series 2012, where Punk defended his title in a triple threat match against Ryback and John Cena.—
Mark Davis,
Newsweek,
15 Mar. 2025
-
Schumer defended his stance, acknowledging the bill's flaws but arguing that a government shutdown would be worse.—
Amanda Castro,
Newsweek,
14 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
The defense firm maintained that the program is an opportunity to align with the Dutch government’s policy of support and empowerment of strategic national industries.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
22 Mar. 2025
-
Cool-season lawns maintained at 3 to 4 inches tall have deeper root systems that are better able to withstand adverse conditions, such as drought.—
Megan Hughes,
Better Homes & Gardens,
22 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Greater Robustness And Reliability: Better equipped to handle out-of-distribution data and novel scenarios safely and reliably by incorporating safety parameters, constraints and logical invariants.—
Anuradha Weeraman,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2025
-
Taking this approach minimizes the frustration of figuring out where to store something and ensures everything has a logical place in your home.—
Mary Cornetta,
Better Homes & Gardens,
30 June 2025
Verb
-
As Reuters reports, Indonesia's Ministry of Industry has upheld its ban on the iPhone 16 because Apple has yet to meet its domestic content rules.—
Jibin Joseph,
PCMAG,
8 Jan. 2025
-
Other coalitions are arguing the ban should be upheld, including former national security officials, former officials at the Federal Communications Commission and activist groups that advocate on behalf of the Uyghur people, people in Hong Kong and others against the Chinese government.—
Alison Durkee,
Forbes,
7 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
The Trump Accounts And Latinos To qualify, a child must be a U.S. citizen and have at least one parent who is a U.S. citizen or a lawful resident with a valid Social Security number who pays taxes.—
Noreen Sugrue,
Forbes.com,
27 June 2025
-
While the prenup is valid anywhere, another insider confirmed to Page Six that the divorce can only happen in Florida, which is Bezos and Sanchez’s state of primary residence.—
Jason Pham,
StyleCaster,
27 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Justified.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/justified. Accessed 5 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share