exonerated

American  

[ig-zon-uh-rey-tid] / ɪgˈzɒn əˌreɪ tɪd /

adjective

1. having been cleared of an accusation or freed from blame.

   After years behind bars for a crime he didn't commit, the exonerated man walks out of the prison gates and into the light of day.

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noun

1. Usually the exonerated a person or persons who have been cleared of an accusation or freed from blame.

   She is currently the director of a nonprofit that advocates against the death penalty and for the exonerated.

verb

1. the simple past tense and past participle of exonerate.

Other Word Forms

• unexonerated adjective

Etymology

Origin of exonerated

exonerate ( def. ) + -ed ² ( def. )

Explanation

Use the adjective exonerated to describe someone who's been proven innocent. A boy whose mother thinks he stole a bag of candy is exonerated when his teacher explains that he won the candy in a spelling contest. When a suspect is let off the hook, or freed from guilt, he is exonerated. A prisoner set free after his lawyer presents new evidence is exonerated of his crime, and a basketball player might be exonerated of a foul accusation once the referees examine a video tape of the game. Exonerated comes from the Latin word for "remove a burden or unload," exoneratus. When the burden of guilt is removed from you, you're exonerated.

Example Sentences

"We are confident that after the facts and evidence are reviewed in this case, he will be completely exonerated," attorney Mitchell Schuster told reporters outside the court, where Diggs's arraignment lasted less than five minutes.

From Barron's • Feb. 13, 2026

They were exonerated more than a decade later through DNA evidence and a confession from the true assailant.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 11, 2025

The decision pays off in the film’s third act, when Matthew is exonerated in the court of the public and receives the adoration he’s been trying to leech from Oliver.

From Salon • Aug. 26, 2025

Beasley posted a SnapChat story Aug. 6 before he had been exonerated, and he couldn’t help but sound bitter.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 22, 2025

At this point, Nixon wheeled round and point by point, having defined the terms of the argument to his satisfaction, exonerated himself.

From "Words Like Loaded Pistols" by Sam Leith

Related Words

• clean