exonerate

C1 Topic:Crime & Justice

US /ɪɡˈzɑnəˌreɪt/ UK /ɪɡˈzɒnəreɪt/ See IPA manual

Freq #29698

Meanings

1

verb
to officially clear someone from blame, an accusation, or criminal responsibility

New evidence may exonerate the prisoner after twenty years.
2

verb
formal: to release someone from a duty, obligation, or burden

The waiver does not exonerate the contractor from responsibility for negligence.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to officially clear someone... clear acquit absolve exculpate vindicate

2 verb · formal: to release someone... release relieve discharge absolve

Opposites

convict incriminate blame obligate

Word family

Forms exonerated

Derived forms exonerationexoneratedexonereeexonerative

Related forms onus onerous exculpate vindicate

Etymology

From Middle English exoneraten and Latin exonerare, 'to unload or free from a burden,' formed from ex-, 'out of,' + onus (oner-), 'burden.' The physical idea of unloading developed into release from an obligation and then the now-prominent legal sense of clearing someone from blame.

Topics

Crime & Justice

External links

# exonerate

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C1
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /ɪɡˈzɑnəˌreɪt/
**IPA (UK):** /ɪɡˈzɒnəreɪt/
**Frequency rank:** 29698

## Meanings
1. to officially clear someone from blame, an accusation, or criminal responsibility
2. formal: to release someone from a duty, obligation, or burden

## Examples
- New evidence may exonerate the prisoner after twenty years.
- The waiver does not exonerate the contractor from responsibility for negligence.

## Synonyms
- clear
- acquit
- absolve
- exculpate
- vindicate
- release

## Antonyms
- convict
- incriminate
- blame
- obligate

## Derived Forms
- exoneration
- exonerated
- exoneree
- exonerative

## Related Forms
- onus
- onerous
- exculpate
- vindicate

## Etymology
From Middle English exoneraten and Latin exonerare, 'to unload or free from a burden,' formed from ex-, 'out of,' + onus (oner-), 'burden.' The physical idea of unloading developed into release from an obligation and then the now-prominent legal sense of clearing someone from blame.

## Topics
- Crime & Justice

markdown