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justify

/ˈdʒʌstɪfaɪ/verb

To give a good enough reason for something; to show that an action or decision was reasonable.

Example sentences

  • She struggled to justify the extra cost to her boss.
  • There is no way to justify treating a customer so rudely.

In printing, justified text has straight edges on both margins, an unrelated technical sense worth knowing.

Related words