justify

/ˈd͡ʒʌstɪfaɪ/

//ˈd͡ʒʌstɪfaɪ// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"justify" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“justify” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #5,702 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#5,702
frequency rank, English
7
letters
11
tracked misspellings
4
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To provide an acceptable explanation for.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

justify vs Justin
57% similar
justify vs justly
71% similar
justify vs Justine
57% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for justify
PropertyValue
Headwordjustify
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ˈd͡ʒʌstɪfaɪ/
Letters7
Frequency rank#5,702
Misspellings tracked11
Confusable pairs4
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “justify” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). justify lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for justify is 7 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈd͡ʒʌstɪfaɪ/. Corpus data places it at rank #5,702 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 8 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 11 likely wrong-spelling variants for justify, with forms such as "jjustify", "jsutify", and "jusitfy". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 4 confusable-pair relationships, "Justin", "justly", "Justine", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English justifien, from Old French justifier, from Late Latin justificare (“make just”), from Latin justus, iustus (“just”) + ficare (“make”), from facere, equivalent to just + -ify. The correct English form is justify, spelled J-U-S-T-I-F-Y.

Definition

  1. 1
    To provide an acceptable explanation for.
  2. 2
    To be a good reason behind a normally-unacceptable action; to warrant.
  3. 3
    To arrange (text) on a page or a computer screen such that the left and right ends of all lines within paragraphs are aligned.
  4. 4
    To absolve, and declare to be free of blame or sin.
  5. 5
    To give reasons for one’s actions; to make an argument to prove that one is in the right.
  6. 6
    To prove; to ratify; to confirm.
  7. 7
    To show (a person) to have had a sufficient legal reason for an act that has been made the subject of a charge or accusation.
  8. 8
    To qualify (oneself) as a surety by taking oath to the ownership of sufficient property.

Etymology

From Middle English justifien, from Old French justifier, from Late Latin justificare (“make just”), from Latin justus, iustus (“just”) + ficare (“make”), from facere, equivalent to just + -ify.

Synonyms

vindicate

This word in other languages

legitimar(Español)justifier(Français)rechtfertigen(Deutsch)justificar(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: jjustify,jsutify,jusitfy,jusstify,justfiy,justiffy,justifyy,justiyf,justtify,jutsify,ujstify

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of justify - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

jjustify1jsutify2jusitfy2jusstify1justfiy2justiffy1justifyy1justiyf2
Edit distance from "justify"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "justify"?
"justify" is spelled J-U-S-T-I-F-Y. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈd͡ʒʌstɪfaɪ/.
What does "justify" mean?
As a verb, "justify" means: To provide an acceptable explanation for.
What words are commonly confused with "justify"?
"justify" is commonly confused with "Justin", "justly", "Justine". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "justify"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "justify" is /ˈd͡ʒʌstɪfaɪ/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "justify"?
From Middle English justifien, from Old French justifier, from Late Latin justificare (“make just”), from Latin justus, iustus (“just”) + ficare (“make”), from facere, equivalent to just + -ify. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “justify”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is J-U-S-T-I-F-Y - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈd͡ʒʌstɪfaɪ/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “Justin” - see the side-by-side comparison. justify vs Justin
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list