as in compensatory
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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
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Recent Examples of exonerating
Austin Sanders, Austin American Statesman, 19 Feb. 2026
The official investigators of the deaths during the infamous riot were under intense and explicit pressure to conform their testimony to an official, state-exonerating narrative.
—Literary Hub, 27 Jan. 2026
Dallas County commissioners passed a symbolic resolution exonerating Tommy Lee Walker.
—J.d. Miles, CBS News, 21 Jan. 2026
The Louisiana State Police published new video from the deadly pileup involving LSU wide receiver Kyren Lacy, defending its investigation after Lacy's lawyer claimed to have new evidence allegedly exonerating the late college football star.
—Christian Orozco, NBC news, 8 Oct. 2025
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
Verb
Thursday’s proceeding is expected to bring that long chapter to a close, formally exonerating the four men and marking a consequential moment in a case that has haunted Austin for more than three decades.
—Austin Sanders, Austin American Statesman, 19 Feb. 2026
The official investigators of the deaths during the infamous riot were under intense and explicit pressure to conform their testimony to an official, state-exonerating narrative.
—Literary Hub, 27 Jan. 2026
Dallas County commissioners passed a symbolic resolution exonerating Tommy Lee Walker.
—J.d. Miles, CBS News, 21 Jan. 2026
The Louisiana State Police published new video from the deadly pileup involving LSU wide receiver Kyren Lacy, defending its investigation after Lacy's lawyer claimed to have new evidence allegedly exonerating the late college football star.
—Christian Orozco, NBC news, 8 Oct. 2025
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
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In Davis’s work, runny paint has a way of acquitting objects of their permanence.—
Zachary Fine,
New Yorker,
23 Feb. 2026
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Soon after, Dead & Company, with John Mayer acquitting himself in the Garcia role better than anyone would have thought, set sail.—
David Browne,
Rolling Stone,
17 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Morgan said the police officer and the city are fair game — especially if Patel’s attorneys can show certain exculpatory evidence was withheld.—
Shaddi Abusaid,
AJC.com,
9 Feb. 2026
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In a separate court filing submitted Monday, Cole’s attorneys also demanded broad discovery, including all statements attributed to him, investigative notes, information about the FBI’s use of informants to identify Cole as a suspect, and any exculpatory material.—
Kaelan Deese,
The Washington Examiner,
29 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Exonerating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/exonerating. Accessed 10 Mar. 2026.
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