verdict
Americannoun
-
Law. the finding or answer of a jury given to the court concerning a matter submitted to their judgment.
-
a judgment; decision.
the verdict of the critics.
noun
-
the findings of a jury on the issues of fact submitted to it for examination and trial; judgment
-
any decision, judgment, or conclusion
Etymology
Origin of verdict
1250–1300; Middle English < Medieval Latin vērdictum, variant of vērēdictum literally, something said truly; replacing Middle English verdit < Anglo-French < Latin vērum dictum true word
Explanation
A verdict is a decision made after a lot of considering, usually made by the jury in a courtroom. If you've finally decided that the test was unfair, that's your verdict and you should talk to the teacher about it. Although verdicts are usually announced in a courtroom, any time someone makes a judgment about something, it's a verdict. The truth lies in the root of this word: ver comes from the Latin verus, meaning "true." Ver shows up in other words — to verify something is to prove that it's true, and veracious is an adjective meaning "truthful." And the truth is exactly what the judge needs when he's trying to decide the verdict of a case.
Vocabulary lists containing verdict
You Can Say That Again: Dic and Dict
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Unit 3: Compelling Evidence
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Twelve Angry Men
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
The Justice Department celebrated the verdict after years of looking into whether short sellers distort markets with noisy, misleading campaigns.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 4, 2026
However, she said there was no sense of justice after the verdict.
From BBC • Jun. 1, 2026
His verdict: “I think hybrid policies are great. The problem with traditional LTC is the ‘use it or lose it’ issue — it’s a lot of money to spend if you never get sick.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 1, 2026
Defence lawyers said they had immediately appealed the verdict.
From Barron's • May 27, 2026
Caleb’s verdict has to be decided by now; it’s almost time for everyone to go learn their factionless jobs.
From "Allegiant" by Veronica Roth
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.
