vindicate

verb vin·di·cate \ ˈvin-də-ˌkāt \

|Updated on: 18 Aug 2018

Tip: Synonym Guide

Examples: vindicate in a Sentence

Editor's Note: Did You Know?

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

The Deavors hope to accomplish this by equipping Elastigirl’s suit with a hidden camera whose footage will demonstrate and vindicate her every heroic move.

— justin chang, latimes.com, "How the dazzling, overstuffed ‘Incredibles 2’ holds up a cracked mirror to present-day reality," 4 July 2018
Once enough holes have been poked in the general system for vindicating Fourth Amendment interests, the decision to extend Fourth Amendment coverage to a new domain — such as cell-site locational data — is just not terribly significant.

— aziz huq, Vox, "The latest Supreme Court decision is being hailed as a big victory for digital privacy. It’s not.," 22 June 2018
The goal isn’t to vindicate the abstract right to free speech but to assert the right’s power and influence over campus discourse — to force the campus mainstream into a choice between allowing vile ideas to spread or looking hostile to free speech.

— zack beauchamp, Vox, "A conservative Stanford professor plotted to dig up dirt on a liberal student," 1 June 2018
The State acknowledges the right to life of the unborn and, with due regard to the equal right to life of the mother, guarantees in its laws to respect, and, as far as practicable, by its laws to defend and vindicate that right.

— una mullally, The Cut, "The War Over Women’s Bodies in Ireland Is Here," 24 May 2018
My dispassionate leanings were vindicated a couple of months later, when the U.S. hosted the World Cup.

— leo robson, The New Yorker, "How We Watch Soccer Now," 5 Dec. 2016
Trump used to claim he would be vindicated, and his advisers insisted his periodic fits sprang from an irrational resentment that Mueller was tarnishing his election and obscuring his achievements.

— jonathan chait, Daily Intelligencer, "Will Trump Be Meeting With His Counterpart — Or His Handler?," 8 July 2018
London Mayor Sadiq Khan said that Transport for London’s actions had been vindicated, proving the regulator was correct in rejecting the license last year.

— danica kirka, The Seattle Times, "Uber wins back license in London — but is put on probation," 26 June 2018
To his critics the Justice Department inspector general's report vindicated Hillary Clinton's claim that her campaign was the victim of James Comey's decisions.

— NBC News, "Meet the Press - June 17, 2018," 17 June 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