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The word just is one of those overused words that carries little meaning and appears to just clutter up a sentence (oops, did it again).

  • When is the use of just justified?
  • What are better, clearer constructions (e.g. replace just with only)
  • When should the word be dropped altogether?
Laurel
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The English Chicken
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    Not an exact duplicate, but similar question asked here: http://english.stackexchange.com/q/4861/2242 – Will Feb 14 '11 at 21:36

3 Answers3

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I'd say a good rule of thumb is to use it when you need it for clarity or to add a special emphasis.

There were just three jars of honey left.

This is different from

There were three jars of honey left.

because it gives the sense that three jars of honey is not a lot, or at least that you don't think it is.

So the answer is no, don't give it up entirely. Just trust yourself to use it less. Think of it as dieting. If you have the willpower, you can write lean sentences.

Robusto
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As other words, use it when it adds a meaning to the sentence, and not just to use it.

A just and democratic society (it is different from a democratic society).
We all get our just deserts (it is different from we all get our deserts).
I've just seen the local paper (it is different from I've seen the local paper).
They were just interested in making money (it is different from they were interested in making money, but it is similar to they were only interested in making money).
They are just great (it is different from they are great).
"Simon really messed things up." "Didn't he just?"

[Reference: The New Oxford American Dictionary.]

apaderno
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  • "I've just seen the local paper" isn't different from "I've just seen the local paper" (and similarly for the "making money" example) :-) – psmears Feb 14 '11 at 20:48
  • @psmears: There is a difference. – apaderno Feb 14 '11 at 20:49
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    @kiamlaluno: well, there is now that you’ve corrected it with the edit :-P – PLL Feb 14 '11 at 20:59
  • I don't believe the first two examples are accurate to the question at hand - just in those two are short forms of the word justice, or at least have that connotation. – Will Feb 14 '11 at 21:33
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    @Will: just, in the first two sentences, is not a short for justice; try replacing just with justice, and you will see it doesn't make sense (also because justice is a noun, and not an adjective). just in the first sentence means based on or behaving according to what is morally right and fair; in the second sentence, it means deserved or appropriate in the circumstances. [Reference: New Oxford American Dictionary.] – apaderno Feb 14 '11 at 22:03
  • @kiamlaluno: you cannot replace "just" with "justice" - as you say, one is an adjective, the other a noun. My point was that it is not being used in the same way as the OP's question. Perhaps I was not clear in my comment, but that was what I was getting at. The OP is using it as an adverb; essentially it is taking the place of "only" or "simply", both of which could be substituted for "just" as in Robusto's example. – Will Feb 15 '11 at 14:32
  • @WIll: In fact, the OP is also asking when he should use just, and when replace it with something else, using only as example; if he meant just as short for justice, then he would not use only as example. If you are referring to my example (as it seems you are doing, because you wrote I don't believe the first two examples are accurate), then just, as used in the first two examples, is not the "short form of the word justice". The OP didn't give any examples; he just asked when to use just. – apaderno Feb 15 '11 at 14:44
  • @kiamlaluno: Fair enough; I took it to be in a particular context, and yours is a bit broader than mine. – Will Feb 15 '11 at 14:47
  • @kiamlaluno: the OP may not have spelt out that 'just' as an adverb was the focus of the question, but 'just' as an adjective is hardly problematic. Your 'answer' does not help the OP understand how to use 'just' (for example by explaining the extra meaning that just is providing. In fact, your answer does not seem even to acknowledge that there is a difference between the adverbial and adjectival usages. – Dan Oct 28 '15 at 17:09
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I've pondered this word many times. It also has a singular/universal/variant side.

Universal
As the Catholic Church says, "It is right and it is just..." where "just" is used to imply law and legality, similar to justice. This form of "just" applies a meaning that it includes all people, therefore universal.

Singular
"I just want to kiss." Here it means only me, I am the only one who wants something and the thing I want is only a kiss.

Variant
Then there are others, "just in time", which is neither universal or singular but in this case it's an approximation to a specific time.

Just recently I noticed that just this law is not just onto Bedouins and their herds.

jmbmage
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