acquittal
Americannoun
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the act of acquitting; discharge.
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the state of being acquitted; release.
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the discharge or settlement of a debt, obligation, etc.
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Law. judicial deliverance from a criminal charge on a verdict or finding of not guilty.
noun
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criminal law the deliverance and release of a person appearing before a court on a charge of crime, as by a finding of not guilty
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a discharge or release from an obligation, duty, debt, etc
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of acquittal
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English a(c)quitaille, from Anglo-French; equivalent to acquit + -al 2
Explanation
Acquittal is a legal word that defendants love to hear because it means "not guilty." In the 15th Century, an acquittal referred to the payment of a debt, but now it means being freed of charges against you in court. In fact, now the word is really used only in a legal sense. It's from the Latin ad "to" plus quitare meaning "set free." Getting an acquittal is still like being set free. Free to do what you want, any old time! So now the only time you'll need the word is in court, and it's one word you hope to hear if you've been busted.
Vocabulary lists containing acquittal
Twelve Angry Men
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Achievement First 6th Grade IA 1 Words
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50th Anniversary of the March on Washington: "Trying to Inspire a New Generation" by Trip Gabriel
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Judge Summers responded to what’s ordinarily a pro forma motion before handing the case to the jury and, instead, issued what’s known as a directed verdict of acquittal, ending the case single-handedly, then and there.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 1, 2026
Seeing virtually no hope of acquittal, Brown’s attorneys were desperate to preserve the possibility of commutation.
From Slate • Apr. 2, 2026
Her lawyer, Clyde Billard, pled for full acquittal, arguing there was no proof and she could afford them.
From BBC • Mar. 14, 2026
The prosecution was dropped in October 2008 after a jury split 10-2 in favor of acquittal.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 5, 2026
Kelsie Morrison had earlier told agents that Hale was certain that “money will buy the protection or acquittal of any man for any crime in Osage County.”
From "Killers of the Flower Moon" by David Grann
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
