Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Showing results for justifiable. Search instead for justifiability.
Synonyms

justifiable

American  
[juhs-tuh-fahy-uh-buhl, juhs-tuh-fahy-] / ˈdʒʌs təˌfaɪ ə bəl, ˌdʒʌs təˈfaɪ- /

adjective

  1. capable of being justified; that can be shown to be or can be defended as being just, right, or warranted; defensible.

    justifiable homicide.
justifiable British  
/ ˈdʒʌstɪˌfaɪəbəl /

adjective

  1. capable of being justified; understandable

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • justifiability noun
  • justifiableness noun
  • justifiably adverb
  • unjustifiable adjective
  • unjustifiableness noun
  • unjustifiably adverb

Etymology

Origin of justifiable

From Middle French, dating back to 1515–25; justify, -able

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

A study we conducted of the law in three states—California, Florida, and Massachusetts—highlights some of the common principles that limit when shooting someone is justifiable, and therefore lawful.

From Slate • Mar. 27, 2026

"It is not justifiable to claim that the race has been lost."

From Barron's • Mar. 4, 2026

He reckons the stock’s recent strength appears justifiable given materially higher payouts.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 24, 2026

In November, some parents near Dunstable in Bedfordshire said they feared their children were being "treated like criminals" after being sent to isolation for what they felt were justifiable breaches of uniform rules.

From BBC • Feb. 15, 2026

“I just, er ...” I didn’t have a justifiable reason for being there.

From "The Girl on the Train" by Paula Hawkins

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.