justify

From Wiktionary

Word parts[change]

just + -ify

Pronunciation[change]

Verb[change]

Plain form
justify

Third-person singular
justifies

Past tense
justified

Past participle
justified

Present participle
justifying

Justified text
  1. (transitive) If you justify something that people think is bad, you explain why it was good or why it had to happen that way.
    One problem in music education is always having to justify our existence to other teachers.
    78% of people do not think that US military action in Iraq was justified.
    Killings are always wrong, and that is why attempts to justify them are always made.
  2. If the ends justify the means, the way of doing something is bad, but the result is worth it.
    He feels that he can lie because the end justifies the means.
  3. (transitive) If you justify text, you make the left side of each line of writing line up and the same with the right side.

Synonyms[change]

Related words[change]