vindicate

C2 Topic:Ethics & Social Judgment

US /ˈvɪn.dɪˌkeɪt/ See IPA manual

Freq #53105

Meanings

1

verb
To prove that someone is right or free from blame.

The new evidence finally vindicated the man wrongly accused of theft.
2

verb
To prove that a decision, belief, or action was correct or justified.

The team's success vindicated the coach's risky strategy.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to prove that someone is... clear exonerate absolve acquit

Word family

Forms vindicatedvindicatesvindicating

Derived forms vindicationvindicatorvindictive

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin vindicātus, perfect passive participle of vindicō (“lay legal claim to something; set free; protect, avenge, punish”), from vim, accusative singular of vīs (“force, power”), + dīcō (“say; declare, state”). See avenge.

*weyh₁- Proto-Indo-European vindicātus Latin

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Topics

Ethics & Social Judgment Word Formation & Derivatives

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# vindicate

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /ˈvɪn.dɪˌkeɪt/
**Frequency rank:** 53105

## Meanings
1. To prove that someone is right or free from blame.
2. To prove that a decision, belief, or action was correct or justified.

## Examples
- The new evidence finally vindicated the man wrongly accused of theft.
- The team's success vindicated the coach's risky strategy.

## Derived Forms
- vindication
- vindicator
- vindictive

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *weyh₁-
- Root: vindicātus

## Etymology
Borrowed from Latin vindicātus, perfect passive participle of vindicō (“lay legal claim to something; set free; protect, avenge, punish”), from vim, accusative singular of vīs (“force, power”), + dīcō (“say; declare, state”). See avenge.

## AI Etymology
Vindicate is borrowed from Latin vindicātus, perfect passive participle of vindicō (“lay legal claim to something; set free; protect, avenge, punish”), from vim, accusative singular of vīs (“force, power”), + dīcō (“say; declare, state”). See avenge. In present-day use, it can mean to prove that someone is right or free from blame, or to prove that a decision, belief, or action was correct or justified. Derived formations include vindication, vindicator, and vindictive.

## Topics
- Ethics & Social Judgment
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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vindicate

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