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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in acquitted
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
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
Phil Helsel, NBC news, 8 Aug. 2025
Gina Barton, USA Today, 7 Sep. 2025
That wasn't possible, as Kendra's confession exonerated the other suspects, including Owen's friend, Khloe Wilson, whose life was impacted dramatically by the false accusations.
—EW.com, 2 Sep. 2025
Now that he is exonerated, Carver’s suit is wide-reaching.
—Ryan Oehrli
august 29, Charlotte Observer, 29 Aug. 2025
After an acquittal and second conviction, in 2015 the Italian Supreme Court fully exonerated Knox by overturning the case.
—Rachel McRady, People.com, 25 Aug. 2025
She was exonerated of the crime in 2015.
—Megan Cartwright, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Aug. 2025
After doing nothing but stealing for 20-plus years, the State Police exonerated him in 2019 of every single charge.
—Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 13 Aug. 2025
He was released from prison in April 2020 and officially exonerated of armed robbery in December 2020.
—Angie Dimichele, Sun Sentinel, 7 Aug. 2025
But Knox, who was wrongly imprisoned during her 2007 study abroad semester in Perugia, Italy, twice convicted, and ultimately exonerated for the murder of her housemate Meredith Kercher, may never climb out from under the yoke of public opinion.
—Rachel Brodsky, Rolling Stone, 24 Mar. 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
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
That wasn't possible, as Kendra's confession exonerated the other suspects, including Owen's friend, Khloe Wilson, whose life was impacted dramatically by the false accusations.
—EW.com, 2 Sep. 2025
Now that he is exonerated, Carver’s suit is wide-reaching.
—Ryan Oehrli
august 29, Charlotte Observer, 29 Aug. 2025
After an acquittal and second conviction, in 2015 the Italian Supreme Court fully exonerated Knox by overturning the case.
—Rachel McRady, People.com, 25 Aug. 2025
She was exonerated of the crime in 2015.
—Megan Cartwright, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Aug. 2025
After doing nothing but stealing for 20-plus years, the State Police exonerated him in 2019 of every single charge.
—Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 13 Aug. 2025
He was released from prison in April 2020 and officially exonerated of armed robbery in December 2020.
—Angie Dimichele, Sun Sentinel, 7 Aug. 2025
But Knox, who was wrongly imprisoned during her 2007 study abroad semester in Perugia, Italy, twice convicted, and ultimately exonerated for the murder of her housemate Meredith Kercher, may never climb out from under the yoke of public opinion.
—Rachel Brodsky, Rolling Stone, 24 Mar. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for exonerated
acquitted
Verb
-
The case docket has heated up this year due to the mess surrounding former Massachusetts State Police Trooper Michael Proctor, who was fired earlier this year due primarily to unprofessional behavior in the Karen Read murder case — a charge a jury acquitted her of in a trial earlier this year.—
Flint McColgan,
Boston Herald,
13 Sep. 2025
-
By the end of the trial in September 2023, Paxton was acquitted and resumed his duties as attorney general.—
Kimberly Ross,
The Washington Examiner,
12 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Exonerated.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/exonerated. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share