exoneration

American  

[ig-zon-uh-rey-shuhn] / ɪgˌzɒn əˈreɪ ʃən /

noun

1. the act of clearing someone of blame or of an accusation or criminal charge.

   I would like to highlight the importance of not only the release, but also the exoneration of political prisoners.

2. the act of relieving someone of an obligation or duty.

   The granting of tax exemptions and exonerations is one of the most common types of influence peddling used by corrupt regimes.

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Etymology

Origin of exoneration

First recorded in 1550–60; from Latin exonerātiōn-, stem of exonerātiō “an unburdening, discharging,” equivalent to exonerāt(us) + -iō -ion ( def. ); exonerate ( def. )

Example Sentences

"It will be Starmerism in a nutshell – an extraordinarily painful route to complete exoneration," they said.

From BBC

Such instant exoneration increases the likelihood that worse will happen next time.

From The Wall Street Journal

Mariah has covered natural disasters and exonerations, homicide trials and masking litigation.

From The Wall Street Journal

A mistake or exoneration may get documented, but those reports never completely go away.

From Los Angeles Times

But the sheer number of Spacey’s accusers suggests that his acquittal was hardly an exoneration.

From Salon

Related Words

• absolution