Justify

/ˈdʒʌstəfaɪ/

Meaning & Definition

verb

To show or prove to be right or reasonable.

She had to justify her decision to leave the company.

To provide an explanation for something.

The politician tried to justify his actions during the scandal.

To defend or uphold a belief or principle.

He justified his stance on environmental issues with scientific evidence.

To make a case for something.

The lawyer was able to justify the defendant's actions based on self-defense.

In typography, to adjust the spacing of lines or letters to achieve a clean margin.

The document was justified so that all the text aligned neatly on both sides.

Middle English, from Latin 'justificare', from 'justus' (just) + 'facere' (to make).

justify oneself:

To provide a reason for one's actions.

justifying the means:

The principle that actions are justified if they lead to a good outcome.

To cover up or excuse bad behavior.

He tried to justify being late with a long story.

To give a lame reason for something obviously wrong.

She was justifying her poor grade with excuses.