SYNONYMS AND RELATED EXPRESSIONS
acquit
verb
To formally find someone not guilty of a charge; more generally, to clear someone of blame.
Local English device voice, when available. This is not a recorded dictionary pronunciation.
Find not guilty
Closest synonyms
Related words and expressions
These extend or explain the idea and may require a different sentence structure.
Usage distinction
Return to topAn acquittal is a formal legal finding; exoneration can refer more broadly to clearing blame.
CHECK THE MEANING IN CONTEXT
See acquit in use
In the fictional trial, the jury decided to acquit the defendant after considering the evidence.
The mock court may acquit the worker when the case presented against her does not establish the charge under the exercise's stated standard.
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