as in legitimate
capable of being defended with good reasoning against verbal attack
had justifiable reasons for leaving early
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of justifiable
The circumstances were such that there was no justifiable reason for the driver of Car 22 to have overtaken Car 81.
—
Lydia Mee, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 June 2025
As ever, prospective investors must carefully consider whether Palantir’s premium valuation is a justifiable bet on the future of AI — or a potential case of pricing perfection in an imperfect world.
—Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 9 June 2025
Some homicides on the list may be judged by authorities as justifiable.
—Robert A. Cronkleton, Kansas City Star, 14 Apr. 2025
Our involvement in the war was justifiable, and this belongs to our sovereign rights.
—Micah McCartney, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for justifiable
Lydia Mee, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 June 2025
As ever, prospective investors must carefully consider whether Palantir’s premium valuation is a justifiable bet on the future of AI — or a potential case of pricing perfection in an imperfect world.
—Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 9 June 2025
Some homicides on the list may be judged by authorities as justifiable.
—Robert A. Cronkleton, Kansas City Star, 14 Apr. 2025
Our involvement in the war was justifiable, and this belongs to our sovereign rights.
—Micah McCartney, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for justifiable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for justifiable
Adjective
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That decision prompted a Title IX lawsuit filed by five volleyball players and the team’s head coach, alleging the school was disguising a club activity as a legitimate varsity sport to artificially inflate its female participation numbers.—
Daniel Libit,
Sportico.com,
14 July 2025
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Even legitimate payment flows from emerging markets are frequently flagged for investigation under the guise of compliance, slowing their transfer.—
Wale Ayeni,
semafor.com,
14 July 2025
Adjective
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Blurring The Lines Of Academic Integrity As AI tools become more accessible, the boundary between acceptable support and academic dishonesty is increasingly unclear.—
Ulrich Boser,
Forbes.com,
16 July 2025
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Saucy barbecue chicken, ham, and, yes, pineapple, are all acceptable.—
Lyndsay C. Green,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
15 July 2025
Adjective
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Doubtless, a project that relies on political pressure is riskier than one which is economically viable regardless of the party in power or the nation’s foreign relations.—
Michael Lynch,
Forbes.com,
25 July 2025
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The city requires a minimum of 10 members for a planning board to be viable and Torrey Pines is right on the edge with 11.—
Karen Billing,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
23 July 2025
Adjective
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The regime’s more rational elements may eventually prevail and reduce tensions.—
Roya Hakakian,
The Atlantic,
10 July 2025
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A lot of court cases have been dealing with these cancellations as a group, highlighting the lack of scientific—or seemingly rational—input into the decisions to cut funding for entire categories of research.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
9 July 2025
Adjective
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Isolated locations could face a reasonable worst-case scenario of five to seven inches or more, according to the weather service.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
14 July 2025
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Invoking Section 15 of Article 17, the NFL wants Droney to order payment of reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs—about $12 million.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
14 July 2025
Adjective
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Neighbors could coordinate to buy up and swap vacant land parcels to create a defensible space with fire-resistant trees like oak to serve as fire breaks and water storage to help respond to future blazes.—
Umair Irfan,
Wired News,
19 July 2025
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Blanket exclusions for convictions are no longer legally defensible.—
Alonzo Martinez,
Forbes.com,
18 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Justifiable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/justifiable. Accessed 30 Jul. 2025.
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