uhn-JUHS-tuh-feyed
/əˈndʒʌstəˌfaɪd/
unjustified is pronounced uhn-JUHS-tuh-feyed (/əˈndʒʌstəˌfaɪd/). Unjustified (adjective) describes something not morally, legally, or practically warranted, supported, or explained. It conveys a lack of justification or justification’s absence, often implying excessive or unwarranted rigor, or evidence that does not suffice. In usage, it signals criticism of reasons or actions as unfounded or improper beyond reasonable doubt.
Unjustified (adjective) describes something not morally, legally, or practically warranted, supported, or explained. It conveys a lack of justification or justification’s absence, often implying excessive or unwarranted rigor, or evidence that does not suffice. In usage, it signals criticism of reasons or actions as unfounded or improper beyond reasonable doubt.
"The committee condemned the decision as unjustified and called for a full review."
"There was unjustified optimism about the project’s chances of success."
"The punishment seemed unjustified given the circumstances."
Pronounce as /ənˈdʒʌs.tɪ.faɪd/. The primary stress is on the second syllable: un-JUST-i-fied. Start with a schwa /ə/ for the 'un' and glide into /nˈdʒʌs/ where /dʒ/ is the j-sound as in 'judge'. The middle syllable 'ti' is /tɪ/ and the final 'fied' is /faɪd/ with a long /aɪ/ like 'ride'. Full cue: uh-NJUST-ih-fyed, with a crisp /d/ at the end.
Common errors: misplacing stress (say un-JUS-ti-fied vs. unjus-TI-fied); mispronouncing /dʒ/ as /d/ or /j/; confusing the final /ɪ/ in 'ti' with a long /iː/ or /ɪə/. Corrections: keep the primary stress on the second syllable /ˈdʒʌs/ and articulate /dʒ/ clearly; ensure the /tɪ/ is a short, crisp /tɪ/ rather than a delayed 'ti' cluster; finish with /faɪd/, not /fiːd/ or /faɪ/; practice linking the syllables smoothly to avoid breaking into a stretched 'un-jus-ti-fyed'.
In US, /ənˈdʒʌs.tɪ.faɪd/ with rhotic /r/ not present in this word; UK and US share /ˈdʒ/ but UK vowels may be slightly tighter and non-rhotic, though this word doesn’t contain an /r/. Australian follows similar pattern but vowel quality in /ʌ/ and /aɪ/ can be broader; the main difference is in vowel height and length: US tends toward a slightly more relaxed /ɪ/ in /tɪ/ and a briefer /ɪ/ vs UK’s more clipped /ɪ/. Overall the rhythm remains iambic-ish with stress on the second syllable.
Because it pairs a strong affricate /dʒ/ with a relatively complex syllable sequence and a lax final /aɪd/ that might be de-emphasized in fast speech. The main articulatory challenge is holding the /dʒ/ at the onset of the stressed syllable while transitioning rapidly to the /ʌ/ vowel and then to the diphthong /aɪ/ in the final syllable. Also, the splitting of the 'ti' into /tɪ/ requires precise tongue placement to avoid a schwa-like release.
Note the consonant cluster at the start of the stressed syllable: /dʒ/ immediately following a nasal /n/. This requires a quick, clean release from the nasal into the affricate without an extra vowel. Also the final syllable carries /aɪd/, so you end with a gliding diphthong that should not be shortened in careful speech. The 'ti' syllable is /tɪ/ rather than /tiː/; ensure you don’t lengthen it.
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Unjustified is formed from the prefix un- meaning 'not' or 'the opposite of', + just (root from Latin iustus 'lawful, righteous') + -ify (make or cause to be) and -ed (past participle/adjective). The core adjective just derives from Latin iustus, via Old French juste; the sense evolved in English to mean conforming to law or reason. The prefix un- negates that sense, yielding not just, not lawful, or not warranted. The verb justify appears in Middle English from Old French justifier, from Latin iustificare, from iustus 'just' + facere 'to make/do'. Over time, unjustified developed a stable adjectival meaning: lacking valid justification. First known uses of unjustified in English texts appear in the 17th–18th centuries as legal and rhetorical language expanded; by the 19th and 20th centuries, it broadened to general criticism of arguments, claims, or expectations lacking evidence or sound rationale. The form is common in formal, academic, and legal registers, often pairing with nouns like claim, punishment, expectation, or assertion. The word carries evaluative weight, signaling grounds that do not meet standards of justification or reasonableness.
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Words that rhyme with "unjustified"
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