injustificado

Injustificado is a Spanish adjective meaning not justified, lacking a valid or adequate reason. It is used to describe reasons, actions, costs, or claims that do not have justification or warrant. The term comes from the prefix in- plus justificado, the past participle of justificar.

Common uses include “gasto injustificado” (an unjustified expense), “motivo injustificado” (an unjustified motive), and “duda injustificada” (an unjustified doubt). In legal, administrativo or organizational contexts, it can indicate decisions, penalties, or evaluations that lack a lawful or rational basis. In general discourse, it is often employed to criticize actions or policies: “La multa fue injustificada” or “La detención fue injustificada.”

The adverbial form is injustificadamente, used to describe actions performed without justification. The word is the opposite of justificado and is related to, but distinct from, injustificable, which refers to something that cannot be justified under any acceptable reasoning.

Etymology-wise, injustificado is formed from in- plus justificado, itself derived from justificar. The term is widely used across Spanish-speaking regions in formal and informal registers to express absence of justification or warrant.

See also: Justificado, Injustificable, Justificación.