just
Only, and fair
From its humble beginnings as an adjective meaning reasonable or fair, just has become an adverb with a wide range of precise applications.
It is the go-to word for relating degree and precision.
It can mean exactly (just right), recently (I just got here), barely (We just made it), directly (a ranch just south of town), only (just yesterday you thought differently), or very (just fantastic).
Just nearly always comes before a main verb but after an auxiliary verb.
Exclusively, nothing more
scarcely · nothing but · solely · purely · at most · by a hair · narrowly
Just and unbiased
- impartialShowing no preference
- unbiasedFree from prejudice
- evenhandedFair to all parties
- honestFree from deception
righteous · ethical · moral · honorable · principled · fair-minded · virtuous · upright
With total accuracy
- preciselyIn an exact manner
- accuratelyIn a correct manner
- specificallyIn a precise manner
- perfectlyWithout any flaw
squarely · directly · right · spot-on · pinpoint · sharp · correct · dead-on
The present moment
Permitted by statute
- legitimateConforming to accepted standards
- legalPermitted by statute
- rightfulLegally or morally valid
- sanctionedFormally approved or penalized
authorized · constitutional · statutory · licit · valid · permissible · justifiable · defensible
only
Exclusively, nothing more
hardly · scarcely · nothing but · solely · purely · at most · by a hair · narrowly
equitable
Just and unbiased
- impartialShowing no preference
- unbiasedFree from prejudice
- evenhandedFair to all parties
honest · righteous · ethical · moral · honorable · principled · fair-minded · virtuous · upright · balanced
exactly
With total accuracy
- preciselyIn an exact manner
- accuratelyIn a correct manner
- specificallyIn a precise manner
perfectly · squarely · directly · right · spot-on · pinpoint · sharp · correct · dead-on · bang-on
now
The present moment
lawful
Permitted by statute
- legitimateConforming to accepted standards
- legalPermitted by statute
- rightfulLegally or morally valid
sanctioned · authorized · constitutional · statutory · licit · valid · permissible · justifiable · defensible · by the book
- adverbsquickly, slowly, very, really, now
- filler phrasesum, uh, like, you know, I mean
- function wordsa, an, the, and, or
- fillersfiller, gap filler, filler material, caulk, grout
- restrictorsonly, merely, solely, exclusively, purely
- fairnessfair play, fair shake, fair treatment, fair and square, fair share
justunjust
Not fair or right
unfair · inequitable · wrongful · biased · partial
justlong ago
In the distant past
ages ago · way back · long since · previously · formerly
justvastly
To great extent
substantially · considerably · significantly · greatly · enormously
- just kiddingRetraction of a jest
- just a secondRequest for brief patience
- just a minuteRequest for brief patience
- just rightExactly as needed
- just in caseFor possible need
- just a momentRequest for brief patience
justice, adjust, justify, unjust, adjustment, injustice, adjustable, justly, readjust