as in pardon
a setting free from a charge of wrongdoing
the accused refused a plea bargain, asserting that he was innocent and would settle for nothing less than complete exoneration
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 exoneration
And the sweeping set of criminal charges and civil judgments that once threatened his fortune and freedom are crumbling in appellate courts — a trajectory some experts say could lead to total exoneration.
—
Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 26 Aug. 2025
The documentary interviews Knox and Sollecito about the events surrounding the murder and their lives since their exoneration.
—Monica Mercuri, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2025
False confessions were found in 13% of exonerations.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 19 Aug. 2025
Puskas had served 10 years of a 40-year sentence when Mazraani secured his exoneration.
—Stephen Sorace, FOXNews.com, 6 Aug. 2025
Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 26 Aug. 2025
The documentary interviews Knox and Sollecito about the events surrounding the murder and their lives since their exoneration.
—Monica Mercuri, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2025
False confessions were found in 13% of exonerations.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 19 Aug. 2025
Puskas had served 10 years of a 40-year sentence when Mazraani secured his exoneration.
—Stephen Sorace, FOXNews.com, 6 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for exoneration
Noun
-
Survivors and their advocates warned that a pardon for Maxwell would be devastating.—
Nik Popli,
Time,
3 Sep. 2025
-
The Chrisley family's grand return to TV after Todd and Julie's pardon releases from prison is marred by family strife that grew during the years of lockup.—
Ryan Coleman September 2,
EW.com,
2 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
In Christian lore, the sycamore also symbolizes repentance, humility, and forgiveness of one’s sins, evoked by the story of the tax collector Zacchaeus, who climbed one to see Jesus.—
Ellen Walker,
JSTOR Daily,
3 Sep. 2025
-
Feng Shaofeng co-stars in the emotional character study about guilt and the possibility of forgiveness.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
3 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Acne-prone skin types really benefit from the additional pore-clearing that a toner provides.—
Esme Benjamin,
PEOPLE,
4 Sep. 2025
-
This clearing away of the symbolic backbone of revolutionary virtues marked a return to authoritarian rule.—
Ellen Walker,
JSTOR Daily,
3 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Three of the other five charges against him ended with an acquittal after jury trials, and the other two charges were dismissed.—
Mia Maldonado,
Idaho Statesman,
3 Sep. 2025
-
The two-night docuseries event recounts Michael Jackson’s acquittal on child molestation charges.—
Ryan Schwartz,
TVLine,
30 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
When those goals were eventually met, the pay package delivered Musk tens of millions of dollars in options—at once a win for him and a vindication for Tesla shareholders who had seen their stock multiply.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
5 Sep. 2025
-
Hezbollah persisted until Israel’s withdrawal from southern Lebanon in 2000—a moment of celebration and vindication for Hezbollah, and for Iran, a sign that the Hezbollah model held promise elsewhere.—
Graeme Wood,
The Atlantic,
2 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Exoneration.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/exoneration. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share