justify
Give good reasons
Justify means to show or prove something is right, reasonable, or warranted: How can you justify spending that much on a handbag?
The word often implies defending against criticism or doubt—you justify your actions, your decisions, your existence.
In typesetting and word processing, to justify text is to align it evenly along both margins.
A justified belief in philosophy is one supported by adequate evidence or reasoning.
Clear of wrongdoing
- advocatePublic cause supporter
- upholdMaintain or confirm officially
- supportTo uphold or sustain
- maintainKeep in condition
argue · champion · legitimize · warrant · back · sustain · bolster · stand-by
Drawing logical conclusions
- proofDemonstration of truth
- argumentReasoned case or dispute
- premiseFoundation for logical argument
- conclusionEnd or deduction
inference · deduction · grounds · rationale · basis · evidence · warrant · validity
Official court decision
- acquitFind not liable
- acquittalFormal clearing of charges
- evidenceFacts supporting truth
- testimonySworn statement as evidence
defense · precedent · ruling · grounds · reasonable · adjudicate · exonerate · mitigating
Correct relative positioning
- leftDeparted or portside
- rightMorally proper or entitled
- centerMiddle of anything
- flushSame suit, five cards
margin · indentation · ragged · block · hyphenation · column · kerning · tracking
Defense of location
- exonerationOfficial clearing of blame
- pardonOfficial release from punishment
- mitigationReduction of severity
- explanationStatement making something clear
extenuation · pretext · exculpation · absolution · leniency · clemency · reprieve · acquittal
Just and equal treatment
- equalitySame status for all
- redistributionSharing out again differently
- inclusivityPractice of welcoming all
- disparityMeasurable difference between things
reparations · representation · advocacy · egalitarianism · opportunity · access · redress · restitution
Convincing yourself of falsehoods
- denialRefusal to accept reality
- cherry-pickingChoosing only supporting examples
- intellectualizationReasoning away emotional responses
vindicate
Clear of wrongdoing
maintain · argue · champion · legitimize · warrant · back · sustain · bolster · stand-by · rationalize
reasoning
Drawing logical conclusions
conclusion · inference · deduction · grounds · rationale · basis · evidence · warrant · validity · soundness
verdict
Official court decision
testimony · defense · precedent · ruling · grounds · reasonable · adjudicate · exonerate · mitigating · appeal
alignment
Correct relative positioning
flush · margin · indentation · ragged · block · hyphenation · column · kerning · tracking · leading
alibi
Defense of location
- exonerationOfficial clearing of blame
- pardonOfficial release from punishment
- mitigationReduction of severity
explanation · extenuation · pretext · exculpation · absolution · leniency · clemency · reprieve · acquittal · condonation
fairness
Just and equal treatment
- equalitySame status for all
- redistributionSharing out again differently
- inclusivityPractice of welcoming all
disparity · reparations · representation · advocacy · egalitarianism · opportunity · access · redress · restitution · corrective
self-deception
Convincing yourself of falsehoods
- denialRefusal to accept reality
- cherry-pickingChoosing only supporting examples
- intellectualizationReasoning away emotional responses
- explanationswhy, how come, explication, what happened, definition
- text alignmentleft align, right align, center, flush left, flush right
- word processingword processor, WordPerfect, text editor, Microsoft Word, copy
- alignmentalign, aligned, wheel alignment, spine alignment, spinal alignment
- formattingitalics, font size, font color, indent, underline
- text formattingbold, italic, underline, font, font size
justifyrefute
Prove something untrue
disprove · rebut · controvert · contradict · invalidate
- mob justiceExtralegal punishment by crowds
- do justiceTreat as deserved
- justice systemFramework for enforcing laws
- bring to justiceMake offenders face courts
- criminal justiceState apparatus for prosecuting offenders
- brought to justiceMade legally accountable
justice, injustice, justified, justifying, unjustified, justifiable, justification, justifies, justifiably