Meaning & use
warranted
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Meanings
adjectiveafter a verbformal
Having a good reason or enough justification, so that it is fair or appropriate.
Grammar: Often follows be or seem: the delay was warranted.
Patterns
- be warranted by something
- be fully warranted
Given the heavy snow, the school's decision to close was entirely warranted.
The doctor said a second test was warranted in her case.
His anger seemed warranted after being kept waiting for three hours.
adjectiveafter a verbbusiness
Guaranteed by a written promise, especially that a product will work or is genuine.
Grammar: Used about goods with a guarantee: warranted for five years.
Patterns
- be warranted for a period
The engine is warranted for five years or 60,000 miles.
Only goods bought from authorized dealers are warranted.
The seller said the painting was warranted as genuine.
Common combinations
- fully warranted
- The criticism was fully warranted.
- not warranted
- Such a harsh punishment was not warranted.
- hardly warranted
- The panic was hardly warranted, since the risk was small.
- further investigation is warranted
- Further investigation is warranted before we make a decision.
Synonyms and how they differ
- justified
- Justified is the everyday word, while warranted sounds more formal and often follows a judgment about evidence.
- reasonable
- Reasonable means sensible in general, whereas warranted says there is a specific reason that supports the action.
- deserved
- Deserved is about earning something good or bad, while warranted is about a response matching the situation.
Opposites
Word family
- warrant verb
- to give a good reason for something
- warrant noun
- an official paper giving police a legal power
- unwarranted adjective
- without good reason
- warranty noun
- a written promise to repair or replace a faulty product
Commonly confused: warranted or wanted?
warranted vs wanted
Wanted means desired or sought by police. Warranted means justified. They look similar but share no meaning.
Practice
The manager said a full review of the project was ____ after the third failure.
Choose one answer.
The adjective warranted means justified and fits after was. Wanted would mean desired, and warrant and warranting are the wrong forms.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “warranted”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.