At one point, he justified the calls with a markedly unhelpful digression about the movie Dr. Strangelove.
The interrogations… were legal, essential, justified, successful, and the right thing to do.
If the trade-off for this destruction is truly a safer environment then perhaps this price is justified.
In the current climate, fundamentalist vigilantes may well believe their actions are justified.
Because primal violence is justified by religious belief, “the offenders have no remorse, no fear, and are extremely confident.”
It was the greatness of the prize at stake that justified the cost.
He had done nothing but his duty and the law of nations would have justified him.
She felt that he had condescended to her with a generosity which justified worship.
So much for the solitaries of the earth, and because Providence should be justified of his children.
Even so the Prince and the people could only be justified by results.
1580s, "made right," past participle adjective from justify. Typesetting sense is from 1670s.
c.1300, "to administer justice;" late 14c., "to show (something) to be just or right," from Old French justifiier "submit to court proceedings" (12c.), from Latin iustificare "act justly toward, make just," from iustificus "dealing justly, righteous," from iustus "just" (see just (adj.)) + root of facere "to do" (see factitious). Of circumstances, "to afford justification," from 1630s. Meaning "to make exact" (now largely restricted to typesetting) is from 1550s. Related: Justified; justifying.
