justified

American  

[juhs-tuh-fahyd] / ˈdʒʌs təˌfaɪd /

adjective

1. having been shown to be just or right.

   If a parent sides with one child over another, one will feel righteous and justified, and the other will feel misunderstood and resentful.

2. warranted or well-grounded.

   The commission’s stance is that bans on GMO crops must be scientifically justified and crop-specific.

   I accept that there may be a penalty for justified civil disobedience, but I must weigh that penalty against the good that can be accomplished.

3. Printing. aligned with one or, especially, both margins.

   Justified text looks a little neater, but there's nothing particularly wrong with having a ragged right edge.

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noun

1. Theology. Usually the justified a person or persons believed to be worthy, redeemed, or absolved.

   Good works are logically and morally necessary, for they are nothing more or less than the evidence that one is indeed among the justified.

verb

1. the simple past tense and past participle of justify.

Other Word Forms

• half-justified adjective
• unjustified adjective
• well-justified adjective

Etymology

Origin of justified

justify ( def. ) + -ed ² ( def. )

Example Sentences

The general justified deposing Condé on similar charges - including rampant corruption, disregard for human rights and economic mismanagement.

From BBC

We have to wait to find out if my concern is justified.

From The Wall Street Journal

“Precious metals have risen beyond the levels that we think would be justified by the fundamentals,” Capital Economics analysts wrote in a recent report.

From The Wall Street Journal

Jacob Bethell justified his selection with an unflappable knock in the second innings, while only Brook could have made the audacious 41 when England found themselves 8-3 in the first innings.

From BBC

Given the fund’s inherent volatility, and its sharp doubling over the four weeks from late November to mid-December, the recent pullback looks justified.

From Barron's

Related Words

• constitutional
• contractual
• fair
• juridical
• lawful
• legitimate
• proper
• statutory
• valid