vindicate

verb vin·di·cate \ ˈvin-də-ˌkāt \

Updated on: 15 Apr 2018

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

—

vindicator

play \ˈvin-di-ˌkā-tər\ noun

See vindicate defined for English-language learners

See vindicate defined for kids

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

Kischnick so seriously damaged morale and trust in Troy City Hall that the report should be released, in part to vindicate those who endured the former boss’s unethical behavior, Hodorek said.

— bill laitner, Detroit Free Press, "As Troy revisits secret report, experts say public's right to know weak in Michigan," 9 Apr. 2018
Smart money had this as the move on Friday, and smart money was vindicated today.

— matt sebra, GQ, "Berluti’s New Designer Is a Menswear Heavyweight," 3 Apr. 2018
Despite proclaiming his innocence and vowing to be vindicated, Shkreli was convicted in August of defrauding investors in two hedge funds with his lies and the Retrophin share scam.

— jaclyn gallucci, Fortune, "How Martin Shkreli Went From Pharma Executive to Inmate #87850-053," 8 Mar. 2018
Congratulations to Barclays PLC, which was vindicated Thursday for its December 2016 decision to fight the Obama Administration’s attempt to stage one last bank robbery.

— the editorial page, WSJ, "Barclays Foils Bank Heist," 29 Mar. 2018
But after jurors could not reach a verdict, the judge declared a mistrial and Mr. Menendez pronounced himself vindicated.

— nick corasaniti, New York Times, "After a Year of Turmoil, Menendez Announces He Is Seeking Re-Election," 28 Mar. 2018
In fact, these flaws are sufficient to not only invalidate the most compelling evidence against the hot hand, but even to vindicate the belief in streakiness.

— adam sanjurjo, Scientific American, "Momentum Isn’t Magic—Vindicating the Hot Hand with the Mathematics of Streaks," 28 Mar. 2018
He was politically crucified and exiled, but vindicated in the end as Municipal Light and Power - now Cleveland Public Power - has generally been considered a boon to the city.

— cleveland.com, "What the candidates for governor want you to know -- and what they don't," 27 Mar. 2018
There are a couple of practical applications of this work besides vindicating that Bt crops are at least doing what they were engineered to do.

— diana gitig, Ars Technica, "Planting GMOs kills so many bugs that it helps non-GMO crops," 15 Mar. 2018

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

in the meaning defined at sense 4

See Words from the same year

vindicate Synonyms

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