acquittal

noun

ə-ˈkwi-tᵊl How to pronounce acquittal (audio)
Definition of acquittalnext
as in pardon
a setting free from a charge of wrongdoing confidently predicted that his client's trial would result in a full acquittal

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of acquittal The Black Lives Matter movement gained national prominence in 2013 following the acquittal of George Zimmerman, a 28-year-old neighborhood watch volunteer who fatally shot 17-year-old Trayvon Martin in Sanford, Florida, the previous year. — Emile Nuh, CNN Money, 30 Aug. 2026 Her notoriety and the public’s fascination with the case, some historians have argued, led to Borden’s acquittal. — Addie Morfoot, Variety, 28 Aug. 2026 His acquittal was overturned and the case was merged with that relating to the coup attempt. — Los Angeles Times, 25 Aug. 2026 Calls to abolish capital punishment or increase transparency have grown after the 2024 acquittal of the world's longest-serving death-row inmate, Iwao Hakamada. — CBS News, 21 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for acquittal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for acquittal
  1. pardon
  2. forgiveness
  3. clearing
  4. exoneration
  5. vindication
Noun
  • Asked for comment, a White House official said presidential pardons apply only to federal convictions.
    — Rebecca Cohen, NBC news, 8 Sep. 2026
  • But Lindsay's facing state charges, so a presidential pardon isn't an option here.
    — Kristina Rex, CBS News, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of pardon
Noun
  • When Fyodor drags himself on the floor, begging for forgiveness or a bit more money to play roulette, the gesture straddles the line between humor and intense discomfort — veering into cringe comedy.
    — Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 5 Sep. 2026
  • This is given an almost mystical significance, made all the more ridiculous when an actual priest gives a sermon using the brothers as an object lesson in the value of forgiveness.
    — Damon Wise, Deadline, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of forgiveness
Noun
  • The participation of Wall Street clearing firms as validators may signal growing institutional engagement with blockchain infrastructure.
    — Ethan M. Stone, USA Today, 9 Sep. 2026
  • That’s the first of several remaining hard pivots that reveal Aepoh — and later, her Karen kinswoman Aeva (Waywiree Ittianunkul) — as uprooted victims of the authorities’ clearings.
    — Beatrice Loayza, Variety, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of clearing
Noun
  • The Ohio Parole Board recommended commuting a death row inmate’s sentence to life in prison as his bid for exoneration garners support from Kim Kardashian and other celebrities.
    — Josh Feldman, NBC news, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Florida also has the highest death row exoneration record out of any other state — 30 since 1973, according to the Death Penalty Information Center.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of exoneration
Noun
  • The performance seemed like an early vindication for Kiffin, the $13-million-a-year lightning rod.
    — Seth Emerson, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026
  • However, ultimate vindication, or at least mitigation on the legal side of things, as well as the potential of AI as a multiplier for Meta's business, is keeping us in the stock.
    — Paulina Likos, CNBC, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of vindication

Browse Nearby Words

acquits
acquittal
acquittals
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Cite this Entry

“Acquittal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/acquittal. Accessed 13 Sep. 2026.

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Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about acquittal

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