adjudicate

1 of 2

verb

ad·​ju·​di·​cate ə-ˈjü-di-ˌkāt 

adjudicated; adjudicating

transitive verb

: to make an official decision about who is right in (a dispute) : to settle judicially

The school board will adjudicate claims made against teachers.

intransitive verb

: to act as judge

The court can adjudicate on this dispute.

adjudicative

ə-ˈjü-di-ˌkā-tiv 

-kə-

adjective

adjudicator

ə-ˈjü-di-ˌkā-tər 

noun

adjudicatory

ə-ˈjü-di-kə-ˌtȯr-ē 

adjective

adjudicator

2 of 2

noun

ad·​ju·​di·​ca·​tor ə-ˈjü-də-ˌkā-tər 

plural -s

: one that adjudicates

Did you know?

Adjudicate, which is usually used to mean “to make an official decision about who is right in a dispute,” is one of several terms that give testimony to the influence of jus, the Latin word for “law,” on our legal language. Others include judgment, judicial, prejudice, jury, justice, injury, and perjury. What’s the verdict? Latin “law” words frequently preside in English-speaking courtrooms.

Synonyms of adjudicate

Verb

• decide
• settle
• determine
• arbitrate
• judge
• adjudge

Examples of adjudicate in a Sentence

Verb

The board will adjudicate claims made against teachers.

The case was adjudicated in the state courts.

The board will adjudicate when claims are made against teachers.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

The final overriding decision was therefore not simply a process of adjudicating biological facts, but a judgment about what classification might do. — Max Moser, STAT, 9 July 2026

Pfendler appears to have broken both the previous women's speed record as well as the men's speed record, according to records maintained by Ocean Rowing Society International, which adjudicates ocean-rowing achievements for Guinness World Records. — ABC News, 4 July 2026

After Coroner Scott Sayers denied the request, Sherwood successfully appealed to the Office of Open Records, or OOR, a state agency responsible for adjudicating Right-To-Know Law disputes. — Jonah Walters, The Conversation, 24 June 2026

Rather than adjudicating guilt, the filmmakers opted to leave the question of truth open to viewers. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 21 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Verb

borrowed from Latin adjūdicātus, past participle of adjūdicāre "to adjudge"

First Known Use

Verb

circa 1695, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Noun

1705, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for adjudicate

• abbreviate
• accelerate
• accommodate
• accumulate
• acuminate
• adulterate
• affiliate
• agglomerate
• agglutinate
• alleviate
• amalgamate
• ameliorate

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Kids Definition

adjudicate

verb

ad·​ju·​di·​cate ə-ˈjüd-i-ˌkāt 

adjudicated; adjudicating

: to decide, award, or sentence judicially

adjudicate a claim

adjudication

-ˌjüd-i-ˈkā-shən

noun

Legal Definition

adjudicate

verb

ad·​ju·​di·​cate ə-ˈjü-di-ˌkāt 

adjudicated; adjudicating

transitive verb

1

: to settle either finally or temporarily (the rights and duties of the parties to a judicial or quasi-judicial proceeding) on the merits of the issues raised

2

: to pass judgment on as a judge : settle judicially

3

: to pronounce judicially to be

was adjudicated a bankrupt

was adjudicated the child's father

4

: to convey by judicial sale

intransitive verb

: to come to a judicial decision : act as judge

the court adjudicated upon the case

adjudication

ə-ˌjü-di-ˈkā-shən 

noun

adjudicative

ə-ˈjü-di-ˌkā-tiv, -kə-

noun

adjudicator

-ˌkā-tər 

noun

Etymology

Verb

Latin adjudicare to award in judgment, from ad to, for + judicare to judge see judge