as in pardon
a setting free from a charge of wrongdoing
confidently predicted that his client's trial would result in a full acquittal
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Recent Examples of acquittal
Despite her acquittal, Read still faces a wrongful death lawsuit brought by O’Keefe’s family, which is expected to play out well into 2026.
—
Julia Bonavita, FOXNews.com, 31 Dec. 2025
Legal experts said doing so could have been a path to full acquittal – or to guilty verdicts on both counts.
—John Diedrich, jsonline.com, 29 Dec. 2025
In addition to New Jersey's recent ruling, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals overturned Andrew Roark's conviction in 2024 ruling that the current scientific testimony would likely end in an acquittal for him.
—Kirsten Fiscus, Nashville Tennessean, 24 Dec. 2025
Instead, the aim could be to get Reiner an acquittal based on an insanity or self-defense claim, or to try to reduce the case all the way down to manslaughter.
—Aysha Bagchi, USA Today, 20 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for acquittal
Julia Bonavita, FOXNews.com, 31 Dec. 2025
Legal experts said doing so could have been a path to full acquittal – or to guilty verdicts on both counts.
—John Diedrich, jsonline.com, 29 Dec. 2025
In addition to New Jersey's recent ruling, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals overturned Andrew Roark's conviction in 2024 ruling that the current scientific testimony would likely end in an acquittal for him.
—Kirsten Fiscus, Nashville Tennessean, 24 Dec. 2025
Instead, the aim could be to get Reiner an acquittal based on an insanity or self-defense claim, or to try to reduce the case all the way down to manslaughter.
—Aysha Bagchi, USA Today, 20 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for acquittal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for acquittal
Noun
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But Hemphill rejected her pardon, the Idaho Statesman reported.—
David Staats,
Idaho Statesman,
7 Jan. 2026
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Of the 1,500 or so offenders who received pardons, roughly 600 had been charged with assaulting or obstructing police officers, and 170 had been accused of using deadly weapons in the siege.—
Jeffrey Goldberg,
The Atlantic,
6 Jan. 2026
Noun
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After receiving the loan, IGNITE received forgiveness of the total loan amount and more than $7,000 in interest, authorities said.—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
8 Jan. 2026
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With debt forgiveness, the end goal is to come to an agreement with your creditors to pay less than the full balance in return for a lump sum payment on the account.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
7 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The appeal of a head-clearing or aromatic essential oil is nothing new.—
Iman Balagam,
Vogue,
9 Jan. 2026
-
Miami hums as a warm-weather clearing house for Latin American taste and capital, part art fair, part duty-free fever dream with better coffee.—
Paul Jebara,
Condé Nast Traveler,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
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For the better part of a decade, Illinois led the nation in annual exonerations until it was surpassed by Texas in 2024, according to the National Registry of Exonerations.—
Olivia Olander,
Chicago Tribune,
4 Jan. 2026
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Secretary Hegseth has called that a complete exoneration.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
7 Dec. 2025
Noun
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Capote finds little vindication there.—
Patrick Radden Keefe,
New Yorker,
11 Jan. 2026
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Sunderland’s stalemate at home against Manchester City was more creditable again, and vindication of their approach to the transfer market is the fact that departures to the Africa Cup of Nations haven’t knocked them out of their stride.—
Phil Hay,
New York Times,
2 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Acquittal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/acquittal. Accessed 15 Jan. 2026.
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