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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in acquitted
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Recent Examples of exonerated
Phil Helsel, NBC news, 8 Aug. 2025
Kelli Arseneau, jsonline.com, 1 Oct. 2025
At some point, those charges will be dismissed, or Comey will be exonerated – having spent a million dollars to defend himself – and the world will move on to another distraction.
—Billy Ray, Deadline, 29 Sep. 2025
In 2009, new DNA evidence exonerated them, and all charges were dismissed.
—Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Sep. 2025
Archdiocese of Cincinnati officials said an investigation exonerated Burns.
—Dan Horn, Cincinnati Enquirer, 24 Sep. 2025
Although Dreyfus was eventually exonerated, the pairing of Jews with cosmopolitan liberalism endured.
—Ian Buruma, New Yorker, 22 Sep. 2025
Nearly 15 years after Syed's conviction, Serial host Sarah Koenig investigated the case, reporting on inconsistencies and potential evidence that could have exonerated Syed — including a key witness who claimed to have been with him at the time of Lee's killing.
—Emily Blackwood, PEOPLE, 18 Sep. 2025
The cover story is that Jordan and Emma have been exonerated after being wrongfully accused and are relabeled as Guardians of Godolkin.
—Olivia Singh, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
Kading was removed from the task force after becoming the subject of an internal investigation in an unrelated case, for which he was ultimately exonerated.
—Gina Barton, USA Today, 7 Sep. 2025
Verb
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
Adjective
Then, in 2003, he was exonerated and released from prison when DNA evidence pinned the crime on a different man.
—Kelli Arseneau, jsonline.com, 1 Oct. 2025
At some point, those charges will be dismissed, or Comey will be exonerated – having spent a million dollars to defend himself – and the world will move on to another distraction.
—Billy Ray, Deadline, 29 Sep. 2025
In 2009, new DNA evidence exonerated them, and all charges were dismissed.
—Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Sep. 2025
Archdiocese of Cincinnati officials said an investigation exonerated Burns.
—Dan Horn, Cincinnati Enquirer, 24 Sep. 2025
Although Dreyfus was eventually exonerated, the pairing of Jews with cosmopolitan liberalism endured.
—Ian Buruma, New Yorker, 22 Sep. 2025
Nearly 15 years after Syed's conviction, Serial host Sarah Koenig investigated the case, reporting on inconsistencies and potential evidence that could have exonerated Syed — including a key witness who claimed to have been with him at the time of Lee's killing.
—Emily Blackwood, PEOPLE, 18 Sep. 2025
The cover story is that Jordan and Emma have been exonerated after being wrongfully accused and are relabeled as Guardians of Godolkin.
—Olivia Singh, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
Kading was removed from the task force after becoming the subject of an internal investigation in an unrelated case, for which he was ultimately exonerated.
—Gina Barton, USA Today, 7 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for exonerated
acquitted
Verb
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Even after being acquitted and getting what some call a light sentence, the saga continues.—
Armon Sadler,
VIBE.com,
6 Oct. 2025
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The story of a Louisville man charged in connection to the murder of his fiancée had not fully unraveled when he was acquitted in 1991.—
Leo Bertucci,
Louisville Courier Journal,
4 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Exonerated.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/exonerated. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
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