Synonyms for justify
ˈdʒʌs təˌfaɪjus·ti·fy

English Synonyms and AntonymsRate these synonyms:3.4 / 7 votes

1. justify

   Synonyms:
   absolve, acquit, applaud, approve, exonerate, pardon, pardon, praise

   Antonyms:
   blame, censure, condemn, convict, denounce, doom, reprobate, reprove, sentence

Complete Dictionary of Synonyms and AntonymsRate these synonyms:3.0 / 4 votes

1. justify

   Synonyms:
   clear, vindicate, exonerate, defend, absolve, excuse

   Antonyms:
   condemn, censure, convict, criminate

Princeton's WordNetRate these synonyms:4.3 / 7 votes

1. justify, warrantverb

   show to be reasonable or provide adequate ground for

   "The emergency does not warrant all of us buying guns"; "The end justifies the means"

   Synonyms:
   rationalize, absolve, free, guarantee, apologise, excuse, rationalise, vindicate, apologize, warrant

2. justify, vindicateverb

   show to be right by providing justification or proof

   "vindicate a claim"

   Synonyms:
   rationalize, absolve, free, apologise, excuse, rationalise, vindicate, apologize, warrant

3. apologize, apologise, excuse, justify, rationalize, rationaliseverb

   defend, explain, clear away, or make excuses for by reasoning

   "rationalize the child's seemingly crazy behavior"; "he rationalized his lack of success"

   Synonyms:
   condone, apologise, explain, relieve, prune, rationalize, excuse, beg off, vindicate, warrant, cut, let off, apologize, free, rationalise, exempt, absolve, pardon

4. absolve, justify, freeverb

   let off the hook

   "I absolve you from this responsibility"

   Synonyms:
   unloose, relieve, apologise, unloosen, unblock, unfreeze, liberate, rationalize, excuse, vindicate, warrant, discharge, release, give up, apologize, rationalise, loose, disembarrass, resign, dislodge, shrive, relinquish, disengage, rid, exempt, absolve, free

5. justifyverb

   adjust the spaces between words

   "justify the margins"

   Synonyms:
   rationalize, absolve, free, apologise, excuse, rationalise, vindicate, apologize, warrant

Matched Categories

1. • Adjust
   • Printing
   • Uphold

Dictionary of English SynonymesRate these synonyms:5.0 / 1 vote

1. justifyverb

   Synonyms:
   vindicate, warrant, defend, maintain, exculpate, excuse, exonerate, set right

2. justifyverb

   Synonyms:
   (Theol.) absolve, acquit, free from sin, clear from guilt

3. justifyverb

   Synonyms:
   (Printing.) adjust

Synonyms, Antonyms & Associated WordsRate these synonyms:1.0 / 1 vote

1. justifyverb

   Synonyms:
   vindicate, warrant, excuse, exonorate, exculpate, absolve, defend

PPDB, the paraphrase databaseRate these paraphrases:0.0 / 0 votes

1. List of paraphrases for "justify":

   warrant, substantiate, justifying, justified, motivate, legitimise, explain, justification, defend, excuse, legitimize

Suggested Resources

1. Justify

   Warrant vs Justify -- In this Grammar.com article you will learn the differences between the words Warrant and Justify.

How to pronounce justify?

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How to use justify in a sentence?

1. Tara Reade:

   This is a prime example amongst too many to quantify of the corrupt lengths Democrats and their staff go to in order to justify their position and win, they will destroy lives to protect the depraved behavior of men like Cuomo and Biden helping them to hold on to power. It is disgusting and it must change.

2. Brian Jacobsen:

   While this report can help justify a rate hike in December, it can't justify anything more than a very gradual path of rate hikes.

3. Goldcorp Chief Executive Chuck Jeannes:

   It's hard to explain what has stood in the way, other than things were working the way they were and the margins weren't particularly high, so it was hard to justify big investments.

4. Svein Moxnes Harfjeld:

   One would need a contango in the oil market to justify floating storage. Given the current developments in the oil market this cannot be ruled out, continued oil demand and longer transportation distances combined with no fleet growth should support our expectations for 2015 on average to be better than 2014.

5. Hannah Brown:

   I think theres always when youre hurt, because hes hurt too, you want to justify things, and maybe that was just a way for him to see it in an way that explains some of his hurt, but you know, I think we all know what show we were on, and my dating relationships were very out in the open and everybody knew what they were a part of.