justifiable
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of justifiable
From Middle French, dating back to 1515–25; see origin at justify, -able
Explanation
If something is justifiable, it was done for a good reason and is easily explained or defended. Your fear of gerbils is justifiable, given your experience with the mutant gerbil that ate your neighbor's dog. Justifiable means something is "able to be made just," and you'll hear the word often in legal contexts. "Justifiable homicide," for instance, is killing someone in self-defense — a situation where an act that is otherwise criminal is "made just" by the circumstances. You can also use the word in a more positive sense. For example, you can take justifiable pride in winning the race even though you started off running in the wrong direction.
Vocabulary lists containing justifiable
Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
myPerspectives 8.3
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
The Most Beautiful Roof in the World
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
He wrote in a recent note to clients that there are a number of justifiable reasons why capex hasn’t shown up in growth of Azure, the company’s cloud-computing platform.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 14, 2026
Once you look at the stoppages in the West Ham game, you can see the 11 minutes was justifiable.
From BBC • Apr. 5, 2026
A study we conducted of the law in three states—California, Florida, and Massachusetts—highlights some of the common principles that limit when shooting someone is justifiable, and therefore lawful.
From Slate • Mar. 27, 2026
He reckons the stock’s recent strength appears justifiable given materially higher payouts.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 24, 2026
And Madison, who had a justifiable reputation for making himself the calm center in the midst of all political storms, was being buffeted by shrill accusations from both sides.
From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis
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.
