exonerate

USAGE SUMMARY

The word 'exonerate' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use 'exonerate' when referring to the act of officially declaring someone not guilty of the charges brought against them. For example: The jury exonerated the suspect of all charges.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

It took 18 months for it to fully investigate allegations of corruption following the successful Qatari World Cup bid, and it needed every single day of that to collate 430 pages of evidence, bin nine-tenths of it and then exonerate itself to the dismay of the chief investigator.

The Guardian - Opinion

It had been my hope that the appeals committee would completely exonerate me and restore Nigeria's representation on the international football stage.

The Guardian - Sport

It said the failure of Malaysia's federal court to uphold the prosecution's obligation to provide access to evidence that may help exonerate him set a dangerous precedent for criminal cases and was a "recipe for unfair trials".

The Guardian - Opinion

In the message, posted on the website of the German Jesuits, Jalics did not explicitly exonerate the new pope, but said he could not "take a position on the role of Father Bergoglio in these events".

The Guardian

It should start by cracking down on the alleged cheats not, as in previous scandals, seeking to exonerate them after the dust has settled.Such reforms would be opposed by the same powerful people who aspire to run everything in India, from politics to cricket to banking (see article).

The Economist

They have often threatened to retaliate in the past when former junta leaders faced prosecution.Placed under house arrest, both ex-officers have requested military hearings, which would quickly exonerate them.

The Economist

Politicians who choose to bellow through a megaphone, as Mr Hague has, cannot expect to exonerate themselves later on by pointing at the small print.

The Economist

Presumably, the innocent participants knew such a tape would exonerate them.

The Economist

The federal judge in Denver who presided over McVeigh's trial tore into the FBI for its negligence, but ruled that nothing in the last-minute disclosures would exonerate McVeigh.

The Economist

Though much of the increase in risk can be attributed to dry international capital markets, low investor tolerance for risk and poor growth prospects in developed markets, this does not exonerate Mr da Silva or the rest of them.Mr da Silva's lack of experience in office is worrying.

The Economist

Some of Mr Zelaya's supporters claim the investigation will only serve to exonerate the coup's leaders.Bolivia nationalised four electricity companies, two of which had European owners or partners.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "exonerate" when you want to formally clear someone of blame, especially in legal or official contexts. For less formal situations, consider alternatives like "absolve" or "clear".

Common error

Avoid using "exonerate" when you mean to reduce the severity of a punishment or offense. "Exonerate" means to completely clear someone of blame, while "mitigate" means to lessen the impact of a negative action.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "exonerate" is as a transitive verb. It requires a direct object, indicating the person or entity being cleared of blame. Ludwig AI confirms that it is correct and usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Encyclopedias

10%

Formal & Business

8%

Less common in

Science

7%

Academia

5%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The word "exonerate" is a transitive verb used to formally clear someone of blame or responsibility. As Ludwig AI states, it's correct and usable in written English, particularly in legal or official contexts. While "exonerate" is frequently encountered in News & Media, it also appears in Encyclopedias and Formal & Business settings. Remember to use "exonerate" when aiming to communicate a complete clearing of blame, avoiding confusion with terms like "mitigate". Alternatives such as "absolve" and "acquit" can be considered for stylistic variation, with all the links to all the alternative sentences available on Ludwig.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

absolve

Implies a formal release from guilt or blame.

acquit

Refers to a legal declaration of not guilty.

vindicate

Emphasizes proving someone's innocence after suspicion.

exculpate

Formally clears someone from blame, often in legal settings.

clear

A more general term for removing suspicion or blame.

declare innocent

A straightforward way of stating someone is not guilty.

free from blame

Highlights the removal of responsibility for wrongdoing.

discharge

Release someone from duty, responsibility, or an accusation.

justify

Shows or proves to be right or reasonable the action of someone.

prove innocence

Focuses on the act of demonstrating lack of guilt.

FAQs

How to use "exonerate" in a sentence?

Use "exonerate" to describe the act of officially clearing someone of blame or responsibility. For example, "The DNA evidence helped to "exonerate" the wrongly convicted man".

What can I say instead of "exonerate"?

You can use alternatives like "absolve", "acquit", or "vindicate" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "exonerate" or "excuse"?

"Exonerate" means to clear someone of blame, while "excuse" means to forgive a minor offense or explain away a behavior. They are not interchangeable.

What's the difference between "exonerate" and "justify"?

"Exonerate" implies clearing someone of blame after an accusation, whereas "justify" means to show or prove something to be right or reasonable. Justifying something does not necessarily mean someone was wrongly accused.