justified
adjective
jus·ti·fied
ˈjə-stə-ˌfīd 
1
: having or shown to have a just, right, or reasonable basis
a justified punishment
a justified reputation for toughness
Such work calls for a combination of training and talent that few can lay justified claim to …—
Bernard Knox
Bernard Knox2
typography
a
: aligned evenly at the margin
a justified line of text
In justified composition, where the type must be flush with both the left and right margins, the machine will automatically expand or condense the word space or hyphenate end-of-line words to fill up the line measure.—Ray Blair and Thomas M. Destree
Ray Blair and Thomas M. Destree
b
: made even by spacing lines of text
a document with justified margins
Examples of justified in a Sentence
in a well-justified ruling the court voted unanimously to overturn the law
the use of force to capture the armed fugitive was fully justified
Recent Examples on the Web
Sweet Venus enters your thoughtful sign, empowering you with justified confidence in your powers of attraction.
—Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 10 Feb. 2026
The Justice Department did not respond to a request for comment, but officials there have broadly defended the department’s actions as not only justified but necessary for ensuring the rule of law and holding alleged criminals to account.
—Kevin Rector, Los Angeles Times, 31 Jan. 2026
In the clip, Durant rattled off several tweets that referenced his ashy skin while promoting his partnership with CeraVe, responding to the critics' takes online with justified explanations of each — and a healthy dose of a good sense of humor.
—Skyler Caruso, PEOPLE, 28 Jan. 2026
So civil disobedience and noncompliance are indeed justified.
—Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 26 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for justified
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 10 Feb. 2026
The Justice Department did not respond to a request for comment, but officials there have broadly defended the department’s actions as not only justified but necessary for ensuring the rule of law and holding alleged criminals to account.
—Kevin Rector, Los Angeles Times, 31 Jan. 2026
In the clip, Durant rattled off several tweets that referenced his ashy skin while promoting his partnership with CeraVe, responding to the critics' takes online with justified explanations of each — and a healthy dose of a good sense of humor.
—Skyler Caruso, PEOPLE, 28 Jan. 2026
So civil disobedience and noncompliance are indeed justified.
—Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 26 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for justified
Cite this Entry
“Justified.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/justified. Accessed 17 Feb. 2026.
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