exonerate
ig-ZAH-nuh-rayt
/ɪɡˈzɑː.nə.reɪt/
To officially absolve someone from blame, fault, or wrongdoing.
Exonerate goes further than acquit: it establishes that the accused was innocent of the charge.
The story behind the word. Comes from Latin exonerare, formed from ex- ('off/out') and onus ('burden'). To exonerate someone is literally to lift a heavy burden off their shoulders.
Word relationships
- vindicate: Vindicate emphasizes clearing someone's reputation through proof or action.
- exculpate: Exculpate is a formal legal synonym meaning to show or declare not guilty.
- incriminate: Incriminate means to make someone appear guilty of a crime.
- implicate: Implicate means to show someone is involved in a crime.
Commonly confused with
- acquit: Acquit means found not guilty due to lack of proof; exonerate proves true innocence.
Word family
- exoneration (noun): The action of exonerating or being exonerated.
Collocations
- exonerate from blame
- fully exonerate
- exonerate post-conviction
Example sentences
- "New DNA evidence served to exonerate the wrongfully convicted man." Post-Conviction Review
- "The audit report exonerated the finance director of all misconduct." Internal Investigation
Memory hook
EX-ONERATE = Remove the ONUS (burden) of guilt from someone. Lift the burden of guilt = Exonerate.
When not to use
Do not use for minor mistakes or petty personal disputes.
Fun facts
- The Innocence Project has exonerated over 375 wrongfully convicted individuals in the United States using DNA evidence.
Related words
Explore more words
exoneration, acquit, vindicate, vindication, expunge, expiate
Also appears in
- Communication → Apologies & Forgiveness
- Leadership → Responsibility & Accountability
- Conflict → Accusation & Defense
- Law → Verdicts, Sentencing & Punishment
- Law → Prisons & Rehabilitation
- Law → Clemency, Pardons & Parole
- Criminology, Law Enforcement & Penal Systems → Capital & Corporal Punishment
- Criminology, Law Enforcement & Penal Systems → Forensic Science & Investigation
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