as in legitimate
capable of being defended with good reasoning against verbal attack
had justifiable reasons for leaving early
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Recent Examples of justifiable
While there is justifiable cause for concern about many aspects of this voluminous plan, there are also some efficiency arguments which hold some value.
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Saleem H. Ali, Forbes, 6 Nov. 2024
There’s justifiable hope that a pass rush led by Brian Burns, Dexter Lawrence and Kayvon Thibodeaux can relieve some of the burden on the unproven secondary.
—Dan Duggan, The Athletic, 13 Aug. 2024
Philadelphia doesn't include all deaths in its homicide tally, such as justifiable killings (four this year) and suicides, Werner says.
—Russell Contreras, Axios, 19 Nov. 2024
Others may instead look at it as the pilots having a very justifiable reason to distrust airline management, having lost years’ of gains in the past when contracts were ripped up during airline bankruptcies.
—Brian Foley, Forbes, 30 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for justifiable 
Saleem H. Ali, Forbes, 6 Nov. 2024
There’s justifiable hope that a pass rush led by Brian Burns, Dexter Lawrence and Kayvon Thibodeaux can relieve some of the burden on the unproven secondary.
—Dan Duggan, The Athletic, 13 Aug. 2024
Philadelphia doesn't include all deaths in its homicide tally, such as justifiable killings (four this year) and suicides, Werner says.
—Russell Contreras, Axios, 19 Nov. 2024
Others may instead look at it as the pilots having a very justifiable reason to distrust airline management, having lost years’ of gains in the past when contracts were ripped up during airline bankruptcies.
—Brian Foley, Forbes, 30 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for justifiable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for justifiable
Adjective
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Silva’s time as a legitimate fighter is likely over.Brian Mazique, Forbes, 28 Dec. 2024
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The Blue Jays could send him packing before the trade deadline if they're not viewed as a legitimate postseason contender.Tom Rogers, Newsweek, 26 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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The number of students who report that shouting down a speaker to stop a campus speech, blocking other students from attending a campus speech, and using violence to stop a campus speech is acceptable in some form has risen incrementally since 2022.Angele Latham, The Tennessean, 20 Dec. 2024
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There are also gender-role stereotypes that impact people's understanding of how they are 'allowed' or expected to grieve and show emotion, based on what has been deemed 'acceptable' in society.David Oliver, USA TODAY, 19 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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During the games, No-eul was tormented by other guards for making sure players were dead before their bodies could be harvested for viable organs.Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 27 Dec. 2024
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Matthews Arena, on the Northeastern campus, would not be a viable option at least right now, as the school is proposing a new multipurpose athletic facility where Matthews currently sits.Hailey Salvian, The Athletic, 26 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Those feelings can flood your brain, overtake some of your rational decision-making ability, and lead you to shy away from asking difficult or direct questions.Michelle Greenberg-Kobrin, Contributor, CNBC, 18 Dec. 2024
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Striking this balance between rational responsibility and intrepid innovation will ensure trust and fairness while fostering breakthroughs that define market leaders.Douglas B. Laney, Forbes, 17 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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With a reasonable 160kW DC charging speed, the Grandland can replenish from 0 to 80% in 26 minutes, which will make longer-distance driving possible.James Morris, Forbes, 28 Dec. 2024
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The sphere is the star in most of their pieces, and this one is perfectly scaled to make huge statement with a reasonable footprint.Sophie Collé, Architectural Digest, 27 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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The world waits for a compelling example of humanoid robots saving a customer money in a defensible way.Jeff Mahler, Forbes, 23 Dec. 2024
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Even if Webb weren’t dealing with some physical issues, taking him out after eight innings would have been a defensible decision.Andrew Baggarly, The Athletic, 21 Aug. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near justifiable
Cite this Entry
“Justifiable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/justifiable. Accessed 4 Jan. 2025.
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