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
Should paramilitary groups now form in response to the deteriorating security situation, there would be justifiable concerns that history may repeat itself.
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Kevin Whitaker, Foreign Affairs, 15 Dec. 2025
The Athletic's Tim Britton projected him for a six-year, $153 million contract last month, which is justifiable in context, but is also a major expenditure for a soft-tosser who's never qualified for the ERA title.
—Jackson Roberts, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Dec. 2025
Consuming alcohol is a justifiable response to the Joining, its role in Helen’s death and the post-apocalyptic world it’s created, but over-reliance on it is nothing new for Carol.
—Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 17 Nov. 2025
Barring goaltender Juuse Saros setting an NHL record for most saves in a game, there would have been no justifiable excuse to lose this game.
—Peter Baugh, New York Times, 11 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for justifiable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for justifiable
Adjective
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Throughout pretrial proceedings, attorneys repeatedly clashed over whether political expression related to Gaza could be considered a legitimate defense.—
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These programs were designed to provide tax credits to legitimate businesses for employment taxes and wages.—
Adjective
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Two months later, the Shah, suffering from cancer, fled Iran and commenced the indignity of travelling from one country to the next, looking for an acceptable place of exile.—
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The danger is that in the rush to remove a strongman, outside powers elevate leaders who are more acceptable internationally but no more accountable domestically.—
Adjective
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Both must meet demanding performance standards, operate on efficient edge-compute systems, deliver provable safety, and scale in a commercially viable way.—
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Pauly ranks among Malayalam cinema’s most bankable stars, known for selecting commercially viable projects across genres.—
Adjective
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There seemed to be a rational acceptance of the outcome.—
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Therefore, the present work supports the belief that rational materials design at both the macro and atomic levels can solve long-standing challenges, according to a press release.—
Adjective
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That said, reasonable preparation can help even those familiar with international payment systems avoid high fees, long waits and general confusion.—
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That’s understandable and reasonable, and fans have every right to express their fandom through frustration when teams don’t live up to expectations.—
Adjective
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Nearly every other recent president has taken international military action for defensible reasons while incurring criticism for not following a constitutional or statutory requirement to get a sign-off from Congress.—
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His newer designs have eliminated attics and crawlspaces and implemented the placement of defensible landscaping.—
Cite this Entry
“Justifiable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/justifiable. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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