Justice usually means fairnessEqual treatment and impartial behavior toward everyone and the principle of treating people in a fair way. It can also refer to a judge or judicialRelated to judges, courts, or the legal system officer, the U.S. Department of Justice, or the idea of legal judgment and punishmentA penalty given for wrongdoing or breaking rules.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-26. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Pronunciation
AI-generated pronunciation audio (OpenAI).
Accent: General American English
IPA: /ˈdʒʌstɪs/
Easy pronunciation: JUS-tiss (approximate spelling).
Stress: Stress the first syllable.
Primary sense: fairness; not the department or a judge.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-26. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Justice Meaning
fair treatment; what is right and fair
Part of speech: noun
Definition: the quality of being just or fair
Example: The court system should be based on justice, not favoritism.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- justness — Direct synonym for the fairness sense.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-26. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Other Meanings of Justice
Meaning 2
the U.S. government department that handles federal law enforcement
Part of speech: noun
Definition: the United States federal department responsible for enforcing federal laws (including the enforcement of all civil rights legislation); created in 1870
Example: The case was reviewed by the Department of Justice.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- department of justice — The full name of the department.
- doj — Common abbreviation for the department.
- justice department — Common shorter name for the department.
Meaning 3
a judge or judicial officer
Part of speech: noun
Definition: a public official authorized to decide questions brought before a court of justice
Example: The justice asked both sides to present their arguments.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- judge — Works in general usage, though it is broader than some court titles.
- jurist — Can refer to a legal expert or judge, but it is less common and slightly broader.
Meaning 4
the act of deciding what is deserved in law or morality
Part of speech: noun
Definition: judgment involved in the determination of rights and the assignment of rewards and punishments
Example: He believed that justice would eventually be served.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-10-26. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Justice Synonyms
Similar Meaning
- justness
the U.S. federal department
- department of justice
- doj
- justice department
a public official who decides court cases
- judge
- jurist
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-26. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Common Mistakes
- Mixing up justice meaning fairness with Justice meaning a judge or court official.
- Using DOJ or Department of Justice as if they were general synonyms for fairness.
- Choosing related legal words that do not mean the same thing as justice in the fairness sense.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-26. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the main meaning of justice?
The most common meaning is fairness or the quality of being fair.
Is justice a synonym for judge?
Not usually. Justice can mean a judge or judicial officer in some contexts, but the word more often means fairness.
What is the difference between justice and injustice?
Justice means fairness or what is right; injustice means unfair treatment or lack of fairness.
Can justice mean the U.S. Department of Justice?
Yes. In U.S. government contexts, Justice can refer to the Department of Justice.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-26. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
