as in compensatory
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1
as in clearing
to free from a charge of wrongdoing
acquitted of the robbery charge after proving he was nowhere near the scene of the crime
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in behaving
to manage the actions of (oneself) in a particular way
the king promised handsome rewards to all who acquitted themselves well in the battle
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of acquitting
Zachary Fine, New Yorker, 23 Feb. 2026
Soon after, Dead & Company, with John Mayer acquitting himself in the Garcia role better than anyone would have thought, set sail.
—David Browne, Rolling Stone, 17 Feb. 2026
This means the Seoul court has three options on Yoon — issuing the death sentence as requested by Cho’s team, commuting it to life sentence or 20-50 years in prison, or acquitting him.
—Hyung-Jin Kim, Los Angeles Times, 13 Jan. 2026
Hank Brennan, a longtime defense attorney famous for representing Bulger, earned $566,000 for his work as special prosecutor in Read’s second murder trial, which ended with a jury acquitting the woman of O’Keefe’s death.
—Lance Reynolds, Boston Herald, 26 Nov. 2025
The first jury, by contrast, deliberated for days before acquitting Amiri of conspiracy, multiple deprivation-of-rights charges and convicting him of the single dog attack and records falsification.
—Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 19 Sep. 2025
Jury leans toward convicting Sweet and brother Harry for manslaughter and acquitting everyone else, but can't reach unanimous verdicts.
—Neal Rubin, Freep.com, 6 Sep. 2025
Verdict Announced in Young Dolph's Murder Trial The jury deliberated for about three hours before acquitting the 45-year-old of first-degree murder and conspiracy charges.
—Jenna Sundel
gabe Whisnant, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Aug. 2025
In 2013, with Knox now back in the United States, Italy’s highest court ordered a new trial, ultimately acquitting her in 2015.
—New York Times, 18 Aug. 2025
Verb
In Davis’s work, runny paint has a way of acquitting objects of their permanence.
—Zachary Fine, New Yorker, 23 Feb. 2026
Soon after, Dead & Company, with John Mayer acquitting himself in the Garcia role better than anyone would have thought, set sail.
—David Browne, Rolling Stone, 17 Feb. 2026
This means the Seoul court has three options on Yoon — issuing the death sentence as requested by Cho’s team, commuting it to life sentence or 20-50 years in prison, or acquitting him.
—Hyung-Jin Kim, Los Angeles Times, 13 Jan. 2026
Hank Brennan, a longtime defense attorney famous for representing Bulger, earned $566,000 for his work as special prosecutor in Read’s second murder trial, which ended with a jury acquitting the woman of O’Keefe’s death.
—Lance Reynolds, Boston Herald, 26 Nov. 2025
The first jury, by contrast, deliberated for days before acquitting Amiri of conspiracy, multiple deprivation-of-rights charges and convicting him of the single dog attack and records falsification.
—Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 19 Sep. 2025
Jury leans toward convicting Sweet and brother Harry for manslaughter and acquitting everyone else, but can't reach unanimous verdicts.
—Neal Rubin, Freep.com, 6 Sep. 2025
Verdict Announced in Young Dolph's Murder Trial The jury deliberated for about three hours before acquitting the 45-year-old of first-degree murder and conspiracy charges.
—Jenna Sundel
gabe Whisnant, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Aug. 2025
In 2013, with Knox now back in the United States, Italy’s highest court ordered a new trial, ultimately acquitting her in 2015.
—New York Times, 18 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for acquitting
Verb
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If there is clearing and sunshine behind the morning complex, then more activity will flare up and may even be strong in the afternoon.—
Lauren Bostwick,
CBS News,
11 Apr. 2026
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In some cases, that share is even higher, with nearly every listing in Nantucket, Massachusetts—99 percent—now clearing the seven-figure mark.—
Abby Montanez,
Robb Report,
11 Apr. 2026
Verb
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That appears to be behaving a bit like an oceanic hot spot, leaving a trail of massive eruptions across the Snake River Plain that terminates at the immense calderas beneath present-day Yellowstone.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
10 Apr. 2026
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And for the leading power in the world and for the power that built this system to be behaving like this is absolutely shocking.—
David Frum,
The Atlantic,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Thursday’s proceeding is expected to bring that long chapter to a close, formally exonerating the four men and marking a consequential moment in a case that has haunted Austin for more than three decades.—
Austin Sanders,
Austin American Statesman,
19 Feb. 2026
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The official investigators of the deaths during the infamous riot were under intense and explicit pressure to conform their testimony to an official, state-exonerating narrative.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Authorities said Osorio-Valencia was carrying a backpack containing a Wi-Fi jammer, a sledgehammer, a screwdriver, a wallet, and jewelry.—
Abby Dodge,
CBS News,
18 Apr. 2026
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Leaving it all behind for a few days and carrying everything on my back reminded me that the best way to connect with nature is by simplifying, listening and observing what’s around us.—
Patrick Connolly,
The Orlando Sentinel,
17 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Morgan said the police officer and the city are fair game — especially if Patel’s attorneys can show certain exculpatory evidence was withheld.—
Shaddi Abusaid,
AJC.com,
9 Feb. 2026
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In a separate court filing submitted Monday, Cole’s attorneys also demanded broad discovery, including all statements attributed to him, investigative notes, information about the FBI’s use of informants to identify Cole as a suspect, and any exculpatory material.—
Kaelan Deese,
The Washington Examiner,
29 Dec. 2025
Verb
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The findings can feel vindicating for people who have tried to curb cravings for sweets and failed.—
Korin Miller,
SELF,
24 Mar. 2026
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Many hoped that lepton universality would be violated, but the LHCb collaboration, perhaps to their own surprise, wound up vindicating the Standard Model.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
19 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The security team and members of the church assisted the guard in restraining Mbwavi.—
Michael Sinkewicz,
FOXNews.com,
8 Apr. 2026
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In the rush by corporations to monetize AI investment by increasing efficiency and reducing workforce costs, restraining a surge of AI takeovers is a concern.—
Greg Mellen,
Oc Register,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Compared to the absolving gleam of latex, sloppy imperfection isn’t especially sexy.—
Lillian Fishman,
New Yorker,
25 Feb. 2026
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The team issued a series of statements Wednesday accepting blame for approving the design and absolving the league’s uniform manufacturer, Fanatics, of responsibility.—
Stephen J. Nesbitt,
New York Times,
19 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Acquitting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/acquitting. Accessed 20 Apr. 2026.
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