verdict
Americannoun
-
verdicts
plural
-
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
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
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!
And Then There Were None
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.
See Examples For:
A federal jury reached a verdict last week in the latest lawsuit surrounding the burgeoning market for electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 7, 2026
As for whether or not it ultimately leads to declines in the broader index, history doesn’t offer a clear verdict.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 6, 2026
Over plates of seafood, the president delivered his verdict, according to Maillard who was in attendance.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 6, 2026
Ahead of the verdict, a total of 13 petitions seeking leniency were said to have been submitted to the court.
From BBC ● Oct. 4, 2026
No attempt was made to appeal the verdict.
From "Double Helix" by James D. Watson
So do the guilty verdicts mean the Premier League seasons between 2009-10 and 2017-18 should now be considered a figment of our collective imaginations too?
From BBC ● Sep. 30, 2026
"The 114 guilty verdicts that rocked football," is how the i Weekend describes it.
From BBC ● Sep. 26, 2026
Hashim Thaci was convicted in one of the final verdicts in a series of landmark trials arising from the bloody dissolution of the former Yugoslavia.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026
“Restrain yourselves as the verdicts are read,” he said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 12, 2026
It remains the law in Alabama, where judges almost exclusively use this power to turn life sentences into death sentences, although they're also authorized to reduce death verdicts to life if they so choose.
From "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson
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.
