exculpation

noun

Definition of exculpationnext
as in pardon
a setting free from a charge of wrongdoing evidence that might bring about the exculpation of the defendant

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for exculpation
  1. pardon
  2. forgiveness
  3. clearing
  4. exoneration
  5. acquittal
  6. vindication
Noun
  • The candidates have been clashing over the personal history of DeBarros, who served 19 years in prison for a shooting in Waterbury at the age of 18 in 1996 before he was later pardoned by the state’s board of pardons and paroles.
    — Christopher Keating, Hartford Courant, 9 Aug. 2026
  • Biden gave him a presidential pardon after congressional Republicans threatened him with criminal charges over his handling of COVID-19.
    — Michael Collins, USA Today, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of pardon
Noun
  • An apparent Education Department data error is causing student loan forgiveness credit to be wiped out overnight, setting borrowers back and causing widespread panic.
    — Adam S. Minsky, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Not everyone will qualify for PSLF, and even the borrowers who may be eligible in the future could have years remaining before reaching forgiveness.
    — Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of forgiveness
Noun
  • The game had two bench-clearing brawls, the second of which included several fans and 19 ejections including both managers and both replacement managers.
    — Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 12 Aug. 2026
  • If breaks develop in the clouds, even a few hours of clearing could provide a good viewing window.
    — Joe Ruch, CBS News, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of clearing
Noun
  • The assistant district attorney assigned to the case spoke to jurors in terms that seemed to guarantee Mulholland’s exoneration.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 6 Aug. 2026
  • As a result, the number of exonerations nationwide increased from 25 in 1989 to 259 in 2022, according to the National Registry of Exonerations, a project operated by universities in Michigan and California.
    — Richard A. Webster, ProPublica, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of exoneration
Noun
  • That theory failed to win over the jury, which deadlocked 10-2 for acquittal.
    — Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Combs is participating in a drug-abuse rehabilitation program at FCI Fort Dix, while his legal team continues to appeal his conviction and sentence, calling the punishment excessive and seeking acquittal or resentencing.
    — Angel Saunders, PEOPLE, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of acquittal
Noun
  • If Springfield eventually provides the $150 million, the majority will claim vindication.
    — Angel Gutierrez, Chicago Tribune, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Still, that 104th and final game capped a biggest-ever tournament seen as a vindication for the FIFA president — a consensus success on the field and a financial bonanza for global soccer.
    — Graham Dunbar, Fortune, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of vindication
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.

Browse Nearby Words

exculpating
exculpation
exculpations
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Exculpation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/exculpation. Accessed 16 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of zeugma

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Words of the Week - Aug. 14

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
image of a green cube out of place in a lineup of red spheres
Odd Word Out: Synonyms Vol. 2 Quiz Figure out which word isn't like the others.
See All