just
1 Americanadjective
-
guided by truth, reason, justice, and fairness.
We hope to be just in our understanding of such difficult situations.
- Antonyms:
- biased
-
done or made according to principle; equitable; proper.
a just reply.
-
based on right; rightful; lawful.
a just claim.
- Synonyms:
- legal, legitimate
-
in keeping with truth or fact; true; correct.
a just analysis.
- Antonyms:
- untrue
-
given or awarded rightly; deserved, as a sentence, punishment, or reward.
a just penalty.
- Synonyms:
- due, apt, suited, condign, appropriate
- Antonyms:
- unjustified
-
in accordance with standards or requirements; proper or right.
just proportions.
-
(especially in Biblical use) righteous.
-
actual, real, or genuine.
adverb
-
within a brief preceding time; but a moment before.
The sun just came out.
-
exactly or precisely.
This is just what I mean.
-
by a narrow margin; barely.
The arrow just missed the mark.
-
only or merely.
He was just a clerk until he became ambitious.
-
actually; really; positively.
The weather is just glorious.
idioms
noun
adjective
-
-
fair or impartial in action or judgment
-
( as collective noun; preceded by the )
the just
-
-
conforming to high moral standards; honest
-
consistent with justice
a just action
-
rightly applied or given; deserved
a just reward
-
legally valid; lawful
a just inheritance
-
well-founded; reasonable
just criticism
-
correct, accurate, or true
a just account
adverb
-
used with forms of have to indicate an action performed in the very recent past
I have just closed the door
-
at this very instant
he's just coming in to land
-
no more than; merely; only
just an ordinary car
-
exactly; precisely
that's just what I mean
-
by a small margin; barely
he just got there in time
-
(intensifier)
it's just wonderful to see you
-
informal indeed; with a vengeance
isn't it just
-
-
at the point of starting (to do something)
-
very nearly; almost
I've just about had enough
-
-
an expression requesting the hearer to wait or pause for a brief period of time
-
-
a very short time ago
-
at this moment
-
informal in a little while
-
-
having reached exactly
it's just on five o'clock
-
-
an expression of complete agreement or of unwillingness to dissent
-
arranged with precision
-
Usage
The use of just with exactly ( it's just exactly what they want ) is redundant and should be avoided: it's exactly what they want
Other Word Forms
- juster noun
- justly adverb
- justness noun
Etymology
Origin of just
First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English, from Latin jūstus “righteous,” equivalent to jūs “law, right” + -tus, adjective suffix
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
If I’m not intentionally writing or working on somebody’s music, a lot of the time it’s just me.
From Los Angeles Times
England's early exit from the Women's T20 World Cup just under 18 months ago prompted former spinner Alex Hartley to say some players were "letting the team down" in terms of fitness.
From BBC
The threats, he says, are "not just enemy activity", but also the dangers of flying too close to other jets operating in the area.
From BBC
Over subsequent years, working mainly through the CSJ, the think tank he founded, Duncan Smith devised a system that he believed would not just simplify the benefits system but, crucially, make work pay.
From BBC
In that sense, “Swingin’ Lovers” was more than just an album title.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
