as in acquitting
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 compensatory
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 exonerating
Monica Mercuri, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2025
Two recent court decisions—one a civil case over an allegedly defective anatomical implant, the other a murder in rural Wisconsin—are the latest in a string of decisions confirming wearables data is fair game and can be pivotal in exposing a wrongdoing or exonerating an innocent person.
—IEEE Spectrum, 27 Sep. 2021
Adjective
Italy's highest court made the final ruling in 2015, exonerating Knox and Sollecito for good.
—Monica Mercuri, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2025
Two recent court decisions—one a civil case over an allegedly defective anatomical implant, the other a murder in rural Wisconsin—are the latest in a string of decisions confirming wearables data is fair game and can be pivotal in exposing a wrongdoing or exonerating an innocent person.
—IEEE Spectrum, 27 Sep. 2021
Recent Examples of Synonyms for exonerating
Verb
-
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,
New York Times,
18 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Prosecutors are required to turn over potentially exculpatory evidence to the defense ahead of trial.—
Shelly Bradbury,
Denver Post,
2 Sep. 2025
-
An officer at the Gaston County Police Department received an exculpatory statement — but never disclosed it, according to the suit.—
Ryan Oehrli
August 29,
Charlotte Observer,
29 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Exonerating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/exonerating. Accessed 12 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share