do justice to

1. Treat fairly or adequately, with full appreciation, as in That review doesn't do the play justice . This expression was first recorded in John Dryden's preface to Troilus and Cressida (1679): “I cannot leave this subject before I do justice to that Divine Poet.”

2. do oneself justice . Execute in accordance with one's abilities, as in She finally got a position in which she could do herself justice . [Second half of 1800s]

Example Sentences

Words hardly do justice to the athleticism and quality required to produce the finish Haaland achieved, and even his team-mates were in awe.

From BBC

“A lot of folks tend to speak for the border and this community and use a lot of harmful rhetoric. We’re trying to do justice to this place we call home.”

From Los Angeles Times

Statistics about the social mobility of Black lives don’t always do justice to what it looks like up close for one person.

From Los Angeles Times

In order to do justice to that version, Jamison “steeped” herself not only in historical material about Guggenheim, but in Godfrey’s own voice and Godfrey’s version of Guggenheim.

From Los Angeles Times

But even those dazzling theatrics could not quite do justice to the events which unfolded in the 10 seconds that followed.

From BBC

Related Words

• advocate
• condone
• confirm
• countenance
• defend
• explain
• favor
• maintain
• rationalize
• support
• sustain
• uphold
• validate
• vindicate
• warrant