What does justified mean?
Justified describes an action, decision, claim, or response that can be supported morally, legally, or by good reasons. Saying that someone is justified implies that their conduct was reasonable in the circumstances, not merely that they happened to succeed. The word is commonly used with terms such as morally, legally, and fully, and it can suggest that an objection has been adequately answered. In some contexts, justified also means deserving or entitled: a person may be justified in expecting an apology. Typography gives the word a separate technical meaning: fully justified text is arranged so that lines reach both margins evenly, while right-justified text is aligned only at the right edge. As a verb form, justified is the past tense and past participle of justify, meaning to give reasons for or demonstrate the rightness of something.
Having adequate moral, legal, or rational grounds; regarded as right or reasonable.
"She felt justified in refusing to participate in an unfair process."
Often used with morally, legally, rationally, or fully to specify the basis of justification.
Deserving of or entitled to something.
"Employees are justified in expecting clear notice of any changes to their working conditions."
In typography, arranged with the text aligned to the margins, especially both margins.
"The manuscript uses fully justified columns throughout the report."
The past tense and past participle of justify: to give reasons for or demonstrate that something is right or reasonable.
"The new evidence justified a review of the original decision."
As a verb form, justified normally appears as the past tense or past participle rather than as an independent infinitive.
From Latin justus, meaning just or lawful, plus facere, meaning to make: to be justified is literally to have been made just.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does justified come from?
The word derives from Latin justificare, meaning to make just or justify, formed from justus, “just, lawful,” and facere, “to make.” English developed justified and its related forms from this Latin root during the medieval and early modern periods. The same root underlies just, justice, and adjustment, while justification and justifiable reflect the continuing English family built from justify.
Related word forms
How justified is actually used
The word is especially common in formal and argumentative contexts, where it indicates that a decision or action can be supported morally, legally, or rationally. In publishing and typography, it refers to text alignment rather than moral or logical approval.
Easily confused with justified
Justify is the verb describing the act of giving reasons or demonstrating that something is right, whereas justified is the resulting adjective or participle.
Justice is the abstract quality of being fair or morally right, while justified describes an action, decision, or claim that has adequate reasons or grounds.