SYNONYMS AND RELATED EXPRESSIONS
absolve
verb
To release someone from blame, responsibility, or an obligation.
Local English device voice, when available. This is not a recorded dictionary pronunciation.
Release from blame
Closest synonyms
Related words and expressions
These extend or explain the idea and may require a different sentence structure.
Usage distinction
Return to topExonerate clears blame; exempt removes a duty. Forgive can leave responsibility acknowledged.
CHECK THE MEANING IN CONTEXT
See absolve in use
An apology did not absolve the organizer of the duty to correct the mistake.
The review found negligence in the handling of the listing: a responsible editor had skipped an agreed check despite having the necessary message and enough time. The team considered that avoidable failure blameworthy because reasonable care would have revealed the mismatch. Discovering that another person had typed the original error did not absolve the editor of responsibility for the assigned review.
Compare an alternative with the original word in each passage. Shared meanings do not make every pair interchangeable.
Synonym reference scope and sources
The groups distinguish the senses selected for this study entry. Closest synonyms and broader related expressions have separate labels. The listed sources support lexical selection; not every phrase is a direct quotation from a source.
How the synonym reference was prepared / WordNet 3.0 license