warranted

/ˈwɔːrəntɪd/ Formal

Say it: WOR-un-tid

1. adjective Justified or appropriate for a particular situation.
Given the evidence of widespread fraud, a full investigation was warranted.
2. verb Past tense of warrant; to have served as a reasonable or necessary justification for something.
The severity of the storm warranted an official state of emergency.

📖 Seen in the wild

The severe penalty was warranted given the egregious nature of the crime.
collected by @vocablast

✏️ warranted in a sentence

The company decided that a price increase was warranted due to rising material costs.
Her level of concern was not warranted; the problem was easily fixed.
The report concluded that no further action was warranted at this time.
His promotion was fully warranted after years of dedicated service and excellent results.
The police officer felt the use of force was warranted to protect public safety.
Is such an extreme response really warranted by a minor disagreement?
The author's optimism about the new technology seems warranted by the initial data.

🔁 Synonyms & antonyms

justified called for appropriate necessary reasonable defensible legitimate vindicated

justified · focuses on the moral or logical rightness of an action.

called for · a more informal way of saying the situation required it.

appropriate · suggests something is suitable, but is less strong than warranted.

necessary · implies something is required and unavoidable, which is stronger than warranted.

Opposites: unwarranted, unjustified, unnecessary, inappropriate, groundless

🌱 Where it comes from

The word 'warranted' comes from the verb 'warrant', which entered English from Old French 'warantir', meaning 'to guarantee' or 'to protect'. This French term itself has Germanic roots related to guarding and awareness. Over time, the sense of providing a legal guarantee for something evolved into the modern meaning of providing a justification for an action.

🧩 How it's used

Common patterns:

fully warranteddeemed warrantedwarranted by the circumstanceswarranted a responseno longer warranted

'Warranted' is a formal and objective-sounding word used to state that an action or conclusion is reasonable based on the facts. It is stronger than 'appropriate' but often less absolute than 'necessary'. Its negative form, 'unwarranted', is very common for dismissing accusations, criticisms, or actions as being baseless or without good reason.

Word family: warrant, unwarranted, warranty

💬 Quick answers

What does 'warranted' mean?

It means that something is justified, reasonable, or appropriate because the circumstances call for it.

What's the difference between 'warranted' and 'justified'?

They are very close synonyms. 'Warranted' often suggests that the situation itself provides the reason for an action, while 'justified' can focus more on the moral or logical defense of that action.

Is 'warranted' a formal word?

Yes, 'warranted' is generally considered a formal or neutral word. It is common in professional, academic, and official contexts but less so in casual conversation.

What does 'unwarranted' mean?

Unwarranted is the opposite, meaning something is not justified or lacks a good reason. For example, 'The personal attack was completely unwarranted.'

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