vindicate

verb vin·di·cate \ ˈvin-də-ˌkāt \

Definition of vindicate

vindicated; vindicating

transitive verb

1 a :to free from allegation or blame

b (1) :confirm, substantiate

(2) :to provide justification or defense for :justify

c :to protect from attack or encroachment :defend

2 :avenge

3 :to maintain a right to

4 obsolete :to set free :deliver

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vindicator

play \ˈvin-di-ˌkā-tər\ noun

See vindicate defined for English-language learners

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vindicate was our Word of the Day on 07/18/2017. Hear the podcast!

Examples of vindicate in a Sentence

She will be completely vindicated by the evidence.
These discoveries vindicate their theory.
Their approach to the problem has been vindicated by the positive results.
He felt vindicated when the truth became known.

Recent Examples of vindicate from the Web

View 41 Photos But even gentle loadings prove the fundamental excellence of the chassis and vindicate Alfa’s decision to spend so much money on a weight-trimming aluminum structure.

— mike duff, Car and Driver, "2018 Alfa Romeo Stelvio 2.0T and 2.2D Euro-Spec," 26 Aug. 2017
Chief Executive Alan Joyce said the result vindicated a three-year turnaround strategy and vowed to maintain the momentum by finding another A$400 million ($315.92 million) in savings each year.

— keshiahannam, Fortune, "Australia’s Qantas Airlines Has Made $1.4 Billion in Profits This Year," 24 Aug. 2017
Jonathon Bullard looks like he is set to vindicate himself from his rookie season.

— brad biggs, chicagotribune.com, "Bears Q&A: Jordan Howard vs. Tarik Cohen, QB reps, offensive line alignment and more," 24 Aug. 2017
Unfortunately, the additional context did little to vindicate the Infowars host.

— laura bradley, HWD, "John Oliver Rips Human Tanning Bed Scaramucci, Goes Deep on Alex Jones," 31 July 2017
That vindicates what has always been the real charge: not that the Russians swayed the election, a claim that is impossible to verify, but that Mr Trump’s team overstepped the bounds of propriety, and maybe the law (see article).

— The Economist, "The Trumps and RussiaWill Donald junior’s conduct jolt Republicans?," 15 July 2017
Michael Usry Jr. finally feels vindicated and remains focused on finishing his documentary.

— CBS News, "The DNA of a Killer," 12 July 2017
Those of us who have long equated the Left with opposition to Western civilization are vindicated.

— dennis prager, National Review, "The Atlantic Publishes All You Need to Know about the Left," 11 July 2017
That’s a very profitable line of business, and if Mark Penn pursues it, his most adamant progressive critics will be entirely vindicated.

— ed kilgore, Daily Intelligencer, "Why Democrats Really Won the 1996 Election," 7 July 2017

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

Did You Know?

It's not surprising that the two earliest senses of "vindicate," which has been used in English since at least the mid-16th century, are "to set free" (a sense that is now obsolete) and "to avenge." Vindicate derives from Latin vindicatus, the past participle of the verb vindicare, meaning "to set free, avenge, or lay claim to." "Vindicare," in turn, derives from "vindex," a noun meaning "claimant" or "avenger." Other descendants of "vindicare" in English include such vengeful words as "avenge" itself, "revenge," "vengeance," "vendetta," and "vindictive." Closer cousins of "vindicate" are "vindicable" ("capable of being vindicated") and the archaic word vindicative ("punitive").

Origin and Etymology of vindicate

Latin vindicatus, past participle of vindicare to lay claim to, avenge, from vindic-, vindex claimant, avenger

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: circa 1571

See Words from the same year

vindicate Synonyms

Synonyms

absolve, acquit, clear, exonerate, exculpate

Antonyms

criminate, incriminate

Related Words

atone (for), expiate; discharge, liberate, redeem, release, unburden; condone, excuse, whitewash; forgive, pardon, remit; avenge, redress, revenge

Near Antonyms

accuse, arraign, charge, impeach, indict; convict

Synonym Discussion of vindicate

exculpate, absolve, exonerate, acquit, vindicate mean to free from a charge. exculpate implies a clearing from blame or fault often in a matter of small importance.

- exculpating himself from the charge of overenthusiasm

absolve implies a release either from an obligation that binds the conscience or from the consequences of disobeying the law or committing a sin.

- cannot be absolved of blame

exonerate implies a complete clearance from an accusation or charge and from any attendant suspicion of blame or guilt.

- exonerated by the investigation

acquit implies a formal decision in one's favor with respect to a definite charge.

- voted to acquit the defendant

vindicate may refer to things as well as persons that have been subjected to critical attack or imputation of guilt, weakness, or folly, and implies a clearing effected by proving the unfairness of such criticism or blame.

- her judgment was vindicated

maintain, assert, defend, vindicate, justify mean to uphold as true, right, just, or reasonable. maintain stresses firmness of conviction.

- steadfastly maintained his innocence

assert suggests determination to make others accept one's claim.

- asserted her rights

defend implies maintaining in the face of attack or criticism.

- defended his voting record

vindicate implies successfully defending.

- his success vindicated our faith in him

justify implies showing to be true, just, or valid by appeal to a standard or to precedent.

- the action was used to justify military intervention

VINDICATE Defined for English Language Learners

vindicate

verb

Definition of vindicate for English Language Learners

: to show that (someone) should not be blamed for a crime, mistake, etc. : to show that (someone) is not guilty
: to show that (someone or something that has been criticized or doubted) is correct, true, or reasonable