1
as in to explain
to be an acceptable reason for
you seem to think that losing a basketball game justifies a temper tantrum
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in to defend
to continue to declare to be true or proper despite opposition or objections
failed to justify the need for a war at this time
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of justify
Hamas and Hezbollah indoctrinate hatred to justify its attacks on Jewish civilians, including woman [sic], children and the elderly.
—
Matthew Carey, Deadline, 13 Mar. 2025
Putin needs a wider victory to justify the losses this far, and to satisfy his exaggerated idea of the threat the West now poses to him.
—Nick Paton Walsh, CNN, 11 Mar. 2025
Recent Inflation Trends The FOMC had been hoping inflation would trend closer to its 2% annual target to justify further rate cuts.
—Simon Moore, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2025
Our expert take The Chase Sapphire Reserve® is a standout premium credit card with plenty of luxury perks and statement credits to justify its annual fee.
—Jason Stauffer, CNBC, 28 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for justify
Matthew Carey, Deadline, 13 Mar. 2025
Putin needs a wider victory to justify the losses this far, and to satisfy his exaggerated idea of the threat the West now poses to him.
—Nick Paton Walsh, CNN, 11 Mar. 2025
Recent Inflation Trends The FOMC had been hoping inflation would trend closer to its 2% annual target to justify further rate cuts.
—Simon Moore, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2025
Our expert take The Chase Sapphire Reserve® is a standout premium credit card with plenty of luxury perks and statement credits to justify its annual fee.
—Jason Stauffer, CNBC, 28 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for justify
Recent Examples of Synonyms for justify
Verb
-
About 45 minutes later, the Charlotte native explained his mistake to the media — one that negated a Tar Heel comeback from 24 points down in the second half.—
Scott Fowler,
Charlotte Observer,
15 Mar. 2025
-
The United States Department of Justice revealed the arrest on May 13, 2020, explaining that Fayne, who also goes by the name Arkansas Mo, had been arrested on federal bank fraud charges arising from a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan.—
Diane J. Cho,
People.com,
15 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
From automating incident response to proactively identifying threats and strengthening identity and access controls, AI enables organizations to defend against evolving risks with greater speed, efficiency and accuracy.—
Kathleen Walch,
Forbes,
16 Mar. 2025
-
Providence stoked to defend Class 4A state title, but Lincoln-Way West also will contend.—
Steve Millar,
Chicago Tribune,
16 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
A lot of students were aspiring actors: One week three people in my class were excused early to audition for the same Nickelodeon TV show.—
Mara Wilson,
Vulture,
18 Mar. 2025
-
Teachers who object for reasons of religion or conscience can be excused and replaced with a substitute reader.—
Peter Greene,
Forbes,
17 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
The town celebrates its history and maintains links to its past through the collection of antique farm equipment at the Eastern Washington Agricultural Museum and the Garfield County Museum.—
Travel + Leisure Editors,
Travel + Leisure,
11 Mar. 2025
-
Republicans argue that the measure would fully fund core federal services and maintain operations without raising overall spending.—
Hannah Parry,
Newsweek,
11 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
While many associated the Jacksonville Roar with their spirit and pep on the field at games, both the mother-daughter duo emphasize that their duties upon upholding the Florida franchise's cheerleader title expand beyond the sidelines, too.—
Skyler Caruso,
People.com,
19 Mar. 2025
-
Ensuring accountability Beyond mere storage, the National Archives plays a vital role in upholding democracy.—
Elizabeth Call,
The Conversation,
19 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Justify.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/justify. Accessed 23 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share