adjudicate

American  

[uh-joo-di-keyt] / əˈdʒu dɪˌkeɪt /

verb (used with object)

adjudicated, adjudicating

1. to pronounce or decree by judicial sentence.

2. to settle or determine (an issue or dispute) judicially.

3. to act as judge of (a contest).

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verb (used without object)

adjudicated, adjudicating

1. to sit in judgment (usually followed byupon ).

adjudicate British  

/ əˈdʒuːdɪkətɪv, əˈdʒuːdɪˌkeɪt /

verb

1. to give a decision (on), esp a formal or binding one

2. (intr) to act as an adjudicator

3. (tr) chess to determine the likely result of (a game) by counting relative value of pieces, positional strength, etc

4. (intr) to serve as a judge or arbiter, as in a competition

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Other Word Forms

• adjudication noun
• adjudicative adjective
• adjudicator noun
• adjudicatory adjective
• nonadjudicative adjective
• nonadjudicatively adverb
• readjudicate verb

Etymology

Origin of adjudicate

First recorded in 1690–1700; from Latin adjūdicātus (past participle of adjūdicāre ); ad-, judge, -ate ¹

Explanation

To adjudicate is to act like a judge. A judge might adjudicate a case in court, and you may have to adjudicate in the local talent show. Do you see a similarity between judge and adjudicate? When you add the common Latin prefix ad meaning "to" or "toward," you have a pretty good idea what the word means. But a judge isn't the only person who can adjudicate. If you're fighting with your little brother or sister and make them cry, your parents may adjudicate and send you to your room.

Example Sentences

“How would it work? How would you adjudicate these cases?”

From Salon • Apr. 1, 2026

Sony said Cox should have done more to punish alleged infringers, but the cable company isn’t a court of law and can’t adjudicate such disputes.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 25, 2026

If the lien was entered incorrectly, you can file a motion to strike or adjudicate the lien in court.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 11, 2026

Possibly Kavanaugh’s concern was that the Court of International Trade will have to adjudicate 1,500 claims one by one.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 24, 2026

This enterprise required that certain social and technical preconditions be met: the existence of reliable methods of communication, a common body of expert knowledge and an acknowledged group of experts able to adjudicate disputes.

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton

Related Words

• arbitrate