adjudicate
uh-JOO-dih-kayt
/əˈdʒuːdɪkeɪt/
To make a formal judgment or decision about a problem or disputed matter.
Implies acting as an official judge or formal tribunal to issue a binding, authoritative resolution.
The story behind the word. From Latin adjudicatus, past participle of adjudicare ('to award or judge'). Derived from ad- ('to') and judicare ('to judge'), which roots in judex ('judge', a compound of jus 'law' and dicere 'to speak'). Adjudicating is literally speaking the law to resolve a case.
Word relationships
- judge: Common, everyday verb for deciding a case or forming an opinion.
- arbitrate: Refers specifically to deciding disputes out of court as an appointed arbitrator.
- defer: Postponing or yielding judgment to another authority without deciding.
Commonly confused with
- mediate: Mediation helps parties reach their own agreement; adjudicating involves making a binding decision for them.
Word family
- adjudication (noun): The formal giving or pronouncing of a judgment in a court proceeding.
- adjudicator (noun): A person who adjudicates disputes.
Collocations
- adjudicate claims
- adjudicate disputes
- power to adjudicate
- adjudicate guilt
Example sentences
- "A neutral tribunal was appointed to adjudicate claims arising from the border boundary dispute." International territorial treaty
- "The judge will adjudicate competing creditor claims during the formal reorganisation hearing." Corporate bankruptcy proceeding
Memory hook
AD-JUDICATE = A JUDGE DECIDes a case officially. To issue a binding legal judgment.
When not to use
Do not use for informal, friendly advice or non-binding personal opinions.
Fun facts
- In administrative law, government agencies employ specialized administrative law judges specifically to adjudicate regulatory claims.
Related words
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