as in acquitted
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
as in absolved
to free from a charge of wrongdoing
the results of the DNA fingerprinting finally exonerated the man, but only after he had wasted 10 years of his life in prison
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 exonerated
Beandrea July, IndieWire, 29 Jan. 2026
There are post-release government resources for people exiting prison, but none tailored to the extraordinary circumstances of the exonerated — wronged by the legal system, in many cases over decades, and then suddenly put on the street with no preparation or plan for facing the outside world.
—Olivia Olander, Chicago Tribune, 4 Jan. 2026
The civil rights counts against Buck Aldridge are not related to the fatal shooting of the exonerated man, Leonard Cure, whom Aldridge killed during a struggle after a traffic stop in 2023.
—Phil Helsel, NBC news, 8 Aug. 2025
Greg Evans, Deadline, 9 Feb. 2026
Court records show Antwan Shelton, one of the first two people arrested in the case, was exonerated in April.
—7news Wjla, Baltimore Sun, 9 Feb. 2026
She was exonerated years later, when new evidence supported her story, inspiring a courtroom drama starring Meryl Streep.
—Hilary Whiteman, CNN Money, 24 Jan. 2026
In a highly unusual decision, the state's highest criminal court has exonerated Carmen Meija of the infanticide that resulted in her conviction from a Travis County jury in 2005.
—Tony Plohetski, Austin American Statesman, 23 Jan. 2026
Nearly 70 years after the state of Texas put him to death, Dallas County officials formally exonerated Tommy Lee Walker, a 21-year-old Black man executed two years after being wrongfully convicted of the rape and murder of a White woman.
—Alexandra Koch, FOXNews.com, 23 Jan. 2026
Darby Williams and Perry Cobb became the first two Illinois death row inmates exonerated and released from prison following reinstatement of the death penalty.
—Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 21 Jan. 2026
According to the Death Penalty Information Center, at least 200 innocent people who were sentenced to death row after 1973 have since been exonerated, nearly paying for their wrongful conviction with their life.
—Yosha Gunasekera, PEOPLE, 21 Jan. 2026
Parente said his client, Martinez, who survived the five gunshots and was exonerated, was horrified, but not surprised following Wednesday’s shooting.
—Itzel Luna, Los Angeles Times, 8 Jan. 2026
Adjective
The film’s most tense and destabilizing sequence is a confrontational meeting between the exonerated men and Bishop.
—Beandrea July, IndieWire, 29 Jan. 2026
There are post-release government resources for people exiting prison, but none tailored to the extraordinary circumstances of the exonerated — wronged by the legal system, in many cases over decades, and then suddenly put on the street with no preparation or plan for facing the outside world.
—Olivia Olander, Chicago Tribune, 4 Jan. 2026
The civil rights counts against Buck Aldridge are not related to the fatal shooting of the exonerated man, Leonard Cure, whom Aldridge killed during a struggle after a traffic stop in 2023.
—Phil Helsel, NBC news, 8 Aug. 2025
Verb
Yarris, to be played by Brody, was the first person sentenced to death in Pennsylvania to be exonerated by DNA evidence.
—Greg Evans, Deadline, 9 Feb. 2026
Court records show Antwan Shelton, one of the first two people arrested in the case, was exonerated in April.
—7news Wjla, Baltimore Sun, 9 Feb. 2026
She was exonerated years later, when new evidence supported her story, inspiring a courtroom drama starring Meryl Streep.
—Hilary Whiteman, CNN Money, 24 Jan. 2026
In a highly unusual decision, the state's highest criminal court has exonerated Carmen Meija of the infanticide that resulted in her conviction from a Travis County jury in 2005.
—Tony Plohetski, Austin American Statesman, 23 Jan. 2026
Nearly 70 years after the state of Texas put him to death, Dallas County officials formally exonerated Tommy Lee Walker, a 21-year-old Black man executed two years after being wrongfully convicted of the rape and murder of a White woman.
—Alexandra Koch, FOXNews.com, 23 Jan. 2026
Darby Williams and Perry Cobb became the first two Illinois death row inmates exonerated and released from prison following reinstatement of the death penalty.
—Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 21 Jan. 2026
According to the Death Penalty Information Center, at least 200 innocent people who were sentenced to death row after 1973 have since been exonerated, nearly paying for their wrongful conviction with their life.
—Yosha Gunasekera, PEOPLE, 21 Jan. 2026
Parente said his client, Martinez, who survived the five gunshots and was exonerated, was horrified, but not surprised following Wednesday’s shooting.
—Itzel Luna, Los Angeles Times, 8 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for exonerated
Verb
-
Only one in almost 100 people charged under the national security law has ever been fully acquitted.—
Chris Lau,
CNN Money,
9 Feb. 2026
-
He was acquitted of intimidation, strangulation and misdemeanor interference with the reporting of a crime.—
Meredith Colias-Pete,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
What counts as a cleared sidewalk?—
Quinn Clark,
jsonline.com,
1 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Exonerated.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/exonerated. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
