exonerate
verb
transitive verb
Did you know?
Where does exonerate come from?
Exonerate comes from the Latin verb exonerare, meaning "to unburden." That verb combines the prefix ex- with onus, meaning "load" or "burden." In its earliest uses, exonerate was applied to physical burdens—a ship, for example, could be exonerated of its cargo when it was unloaded. Later it was used in reference to the freeing of any kind of burden, including blame or charges of wrongdoing.
Synonyms
- absolve
- acquit
- clear
- exculpate
- vindicate
Example Sentences
NBC News, 4 Sep. 2022 Serra and others walk us through the procedural argument and evidence used to exonerate Lee, but the movie resists becoming a story of their Herculean efforts, with Lee’s exoneration poised to feel like a triumphant climax, a win for the team. K. Austin Collins, Rolling Stone, 22 Aug. 2022 Surveillance footage shared by the police from the first attack showed a man wearing black pants and a black hooded sweatshirt bearing the logo of the Innocence Project, the group that helps exonerate the wrongfully convicted. New York Times, 12 July 2022 And Robert Kennedy was determined to exonerate his cousin. CBS News, 6 Nov. 2021 Abe was very clear that much of his effort was to exonerate the name of his grandfather, who had been labelled a class-A war criminal. Isaac Chotiner, The New Yorker, 9 July 2022 At the same time, Painter pointed out how affording her that recognition might conveniently exonerate those who profited from her exhibitionistic willingness. Heidi Julavits, Vulture, 8 Dec. 2021 But even if Brafman persuaded a New York jury to exonerate his client, Weinstein still faced potential criminal charges in Los Angeles, London, and Dublin. Ken Auletta, The New Yorker, 30 May 2022 Realistically, Cassie would probably be in jail by episode four or at least fired, and the show would shift to a more somber note where Ani (Zosia Mamet) and Max (Deniz Akdeniz) work to exonerate their friend. Harika Manne, refinery29.com, 22 May 2022 See More Word History
Middle English, from Latin exoneratus, past participle of exonerare to unburden, from ex- + oner-, onus load
1524, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Legal Definition
exonerate
transitive verb
exonerate
verb
Synonyms & Similar Words
- acquit
- exculpate
- absolve
- vindicate
- clear
- forgive
- liberate
- expiate
- release
- condone
- redeem
- excuse
- whitewash
- pardon
- unburden
- avenge
- redress
- discharge
- remit
- revenge
- atone (for)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- incriminate
- accuse
- impeach
- indict
- convict
- criminate
- charge
- arraign
Synonym Chooser
Some common synonyms of exonerate are absolve, acquit, exculpate, and vindicate. While all these words mean "to free from a charge," exonerate implies a complete clearance from an accusation or charge and from any attendant suspicion of blame or guilt.
In some situations, the words absolve and exonerate are roughly equivalent. However, absolve implies a release either from an obligation that binds the conscience or from the consequences of disobeying the law or committing a sin.
Although the words acquit and exonerate have much in common, acquit implies a formal decision in one's favor with respect to a definite charge.
The meanings of exculpate and exonerate largely overlap; however, exculpate implies a clearing from blame or fault often in a matter of small importance.
The synonyms vindicate and exonerate are sometimes interchangeable, but vindicate may refer to things as well as persons that have been subjected to critical attack or imputation of guilt, weakness, or folly, and implies a clearing effected by proving the unfairness of such criticism or blame.