just 1 of 2

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2
3
as in only
nothing more than I was just kidding

Synonyms & Similar Words

4
as in right
as stated or indicated without the slightest difference the length of the curtain is just right

Synonyms & Similar Words

5
6

just

2 of 2

adjective

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6

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective just differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of just are conscientious, honest, honorable, scrupulous, and upright. While all these words mean "having or showing a strict regard for what is morally right," just stresses conscious choice and regular practice of what is right or equitable.

workers given just compensation

How are the words conscientious and scrupulous related as synonyms of just?

Both conscientious and scrupulous imply an active moral sense governing all one's actions and painstaking efforts to follow one's conscience.

conscientious in the completion of her assignments
scrupulous in carrying out the terms of the will

Where would honest be a reasonable alternative to just?

In some situations, the words honest and just are roughly equivalent. However, honest stresses adherence to such virtues as truthfulness, candor, or fairness.

known for being honest in business dealings

When might honorable be a better fit than just?

While in some cases nearly identical to just, honorable suggests a firm holding to codes of right behavior and the guidance of a high sense of honor and duty.

a difficult but honorable decision

When is upright a more appropriate choice than just?

The synonyms upright and just are sometimes interchangeable, but upright implies a strict adherence to moral principles.

a stern and upright minister

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of just
Adverb
Miami’s bullpen limited the damage, allowing just one additional run on a sacrifice fly from Munroe in the fourth. Miami Herald, 7 June 2025 But Cyrus, who just released her Something Beautiful audio recording last week, with the visual album set to come out next week, is already looking to the future. Hilary Lewis, HollywoodReporter, 7 June 2025
Adjective
Outside of just race, these two girls love each other and see themselves in one another. Juliana Ukiomogbe, Essence, 21 May 2025 Being able to run here this spring is fun — the road course is fun, too — but the oval definitely has a little more just characteristics to it. Shane Connuck, Charlotte Observer, 24 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for just
Recent Examples of Synonyms for just
Adverb
  • That’s exactly what the Klein Vision AirCar is promising.
    Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 3 June 2025
  • For people over 40, trust takes time, and that’s exactly what the platform understands.
    Malana VanTyler, USA Today, 3 June 2025
Adverb
  • The Dalmatian was discovered in dire condition by officials for the Pennsylvania Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) with barely any light left in her eyes, the shelter said.
    TJ Macias, Miami Herald, 30 May 2025
  • His penalty, barely three minutes earlier, led to a Roope Hintz power-play goal that narrowed Edmonton’s lead to 3-2, but then Ekholm blocked a shot from Thomas Harley at the right faceoff dot.
    Daniel Nugent-Bowman, New York Times, 30 May 2025
Adverb
  • However, undocumented immigrants are not eligible for Medicaid the health policy think tank KFF has pointed out, and only a small number of lawfully present immigrants qualify.
    Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 2 June 2025
  • Overall, Mercedes only scored 18 points in those three weeks, all of which came via Russell, and now, Ferrari has passed it for second in the constructors standings.
    Madeline Coleman, New York Times, 2 June 2025
Adverb
  • Because to us, the most funny things are right next to the most tragic things.
    Lorraine Ali, Los Angeles Times, 31 May 2025
  • The jungle-like garden, Norton’s collection of 250 rare plants, including palms, orchids, and other native plants, is beautiful itself, and Norton’s massive sculptures (in stone, wood, and bronze) look right at home among the vegetation.
    Lisa Cericola, Southern Living, 31 May 2025
Adverb
  • The new service — dubbed simply ESPN, like its flagship linear network — will surface ahead of the NFL’s next play cycle, and Disney aims to convince customers to bundle it with other broadband offerings like Disney+ and Hulu.
    Brian Steinberg, Variety, 5 June 2025
  • Projecting Nitrate Safely Today, the majority of films created on nitrate simply no longer exist, and those that do have to be carefully stored.
    Benny Har-Even, Forbes.com, 5 June 2025
Adverb
  • Closing out tournaments has been his Achilles’ heel lately, and the pressure to win again is beginning to build.
    Jeff Goudy, Forbes.com, 5 June 2025
  • Various chemicals, from those in plastics to food additives, have made headlines lately for their potential roles in triggering diseases.
    Matt Fuchs, Time, 5 June 2025
Adjective
  • The justified accusation that the carbon footprint of a child from a rich nation was gigantic compared to that of a child from a poorer nation (except those from elite families) thickening the political smog obscuring the raw ecological toll of adding eighty million a year to the human population.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 3 June 2025
  • Penalized For all the justified focus on the offense, the Padres’ season has largely been a tale of two bullpens.
    Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 May 2025
Adjective
  • But there’s little logical argument for keeping him on.
    Michael Cox, New York Times, 7 June 2025
  • This is a logical form of thinking in the sense that AGI as an intellectual mechanism would be unable to compete in jobs that involve hands-on work.
    Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 6 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Just.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/just. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.

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