The Opposite(Antonym) of “justified”
The antonym of justified is unjustified, unwarranted, and illegitimate. The antonyms unjustified, unwarranted, and illegitimate convey a lack of validity or justification. It implies that something is not based on reason, fact, or law.
Explore all Antonyms of “justified”
Definitions and Examples of unjustified, unwarranted, illegitimate
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
Not having a valid reason or justification.
Example
The company's decision to lay off employees was unjustified and caused a lot of anger among the workers.
Not justified or authorized; lacking sufficient reason or basis.
Example
The teacher's harsh criticism of the student was unwarranted and hurtful.
Not authorized by law; not in accordance with accepted standards or rules.
Example
The politician's use of public funds for personal gain was illegitimate and unethical.
Key Differences: unjustified vs unwarranted vs illegitimate
- 1Unjustified refers to something that lacks a valid reason or justification.
- 2Unwarranted refers to something that is not justified or authorized and lacks sufficient reason or basis.
- 3Illegitimate refers to something that is not authorized by law and not in accordance with accepted standards or rules.
Effective Usage of unjustified, unwarranted, illegitimate
- 1Legal Context: Use unjustified, unwarranted, and illegitimate in legal contexts to describe actions that are not authorized by law.
- 2Academic Writing: Incorporate these antonyms in academic writing to express disagreement with an argument or point of view.
- 3Everyday Conversation: Utilize these antonyms in everyday conversations to express disapproval or disagreement with a decision or action.
Remember this!
The antonyms have distinct nuances: Unjustified refers to a lack of valid reason or justification, unwarranted denotes a lack of sufficient reason or basis, and illegitimate refers to something that is not authorized by law. Use these words in legal contexts, academic writing, and everyday conversations to express disagreement or disapproval.