acquittal

noun ac·quit·tal \ ə-ˈkwi-tᵊl \

Updated on: 6 Apr 2018

Definition of acquittal

: a setting free from the charge of an offense by verdict, sentence, or other legal process

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See acquittal defined for kids

Examples of acquittal in a Sentence

The case resulted in acquittal of the defendant.
Several jurors voted for acquittal.
The case resulted in an acquittal of the defendant.

Recent Examples of acquittal from the Web

The acquittal is remarkable because federal prosecutors almost never lose terrorism cases against Muslim defendants.

— jeet heer, The New Republic, "Noor Salman’s acquittal is a victory for domestic violence victims.," 31 Mar. 2018
The Pulse victims' families did not have comment on Salman's acquittal, Altman said.

— amir vera, CNN, "Pulse shooting victims' families say social media was partly at fault; a judge disagrees," 31 Mar. 2018
The acquittal marks the third time prosecutors were unable to convict Michael Johnson, the man accused of Barnes' death, multiple media outlets reported.

— lavendrick smith, charlotteobserver, "Baltimore judge acquits man accused of NC teen Phylicia Barnes' murder | Charlotte Observer," 30 Mar. 2018
The move to East Cleveland court following Brelo's acquittal sparked criticism from the men's lawyers, who accused McGinty of shopping for a more favorable jury pool.

— cory shaffer, cleveland.com, "East Cleveland prosecutors ask for trial date in case against Cleveland police supervisors in deadly 2012 chase," 22 Mar. 2018
Instead of minimizing false convictions, as Western jurisprudence does, the system minimized false acquittals.

— paul roderick gregory, WSJ, "What the ‘Great Terror’ Taught Autocrats," 23 Aug. 2017
Leave a reasonable doubt and the dealer could walk away with an acquittal.

— dara lind, Vox, "The death penalty for drug dealers is a terrible idea. It’s also part of the White House’s new opioid strategy.," 19 Mar. 2018
The acquittal is a welcome outcome for Harris, who was viciously beaten inside a parking garage next to the city’s police department on Aug. 12, 2017.

— ian shapira, Washington Post, "Black man beaten in Charlottesville found not guilty of assaulting white supremacist," 16 Mar. 2018
The acquittal is a relief for Harris, who was viciously beaten inside a parking garage next to the city's police department on Aug. 12, 2017.

— ian shapira, chicagotribune.com, "Black man beaten in Charlottesville found not guilty of assaulting white supremacist," 16 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'acquittal.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of acquittal

Middle English acquitaille, acquytall "release, discharge, conduct," borrowed from Anglo-French acquitel, acquitaill, from aquiter "to acquit" + -el, -aill ²-al

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First Known Use: 15th century

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acquittal Synonyms

Other Legal Terms

actionable, alienable, carceral, chattel, complicity, decedent, larceny, malfeasance, modus operandi

ACQUITTAL Defined for English Language Learners

acquittal

noun

Definition of acquittal for English Language Learners

: the act of deciding that a person is not guilty of a crime : the act of acquitting someone

ACQUITTAL Defined for Kids

acquittal

noun ac·quit·tal \ ə-ˈkwi-tᵊl \

Definition of acquittal for Students

: the act of declaring someone innocent of a crime or wrongdoing

Law Dictionary

acquittal

noun ac·quit·tal \ ə-ˈkwit-ᵊl \

legal Definition of acquittal

1 : release or discharge from debt or other liability

2 : a setting free or deliverance from the charge of an offense by verdict of a jury, judgment of a court, or other legal process — see also implied acquittal, judgment of acquittal at judgment 1a — compare conviction