SYNONYMS AND RELATED EXPRESSIONS
vindicate
verb
To clear from blame or demonstrate that a position was justified.
Local English device voice, when available. This is not a recorded dictionary pronunciation.
Clear 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 topVindicate typically involves support showing the accusation was unfounded. Acquit concerns a formal verdict; excuse can acknowledge fault while reducing blame.
Show a position justified
Closest synonyms
Related words and expressions
These extend or explain the idea and may require a different sentence structure.
Usage distinction
Return to topVindicate presents later evidence or reasoning as support for a position. Defend can describe an attempt without establishing that the position is correct.
CHECK THE MEANING IN CONTEXT
See vindicate in use
The recovered receipts helped vindicate the treasurer.
The team examined culpability for the missed check by looking at who received the final image and who authorized publication. The records could vindicate an assistant who had been blamed for withholding the file: she had uploaded it before the stated deadline.
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