as in pardon
a setting free from a charge of wrongdoing
confidently predicted that his client's trial would result in a full acquittal
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Recent Examples of acquittal
His acquittal, which led to a public outcry, had an impact on the federal insanity defense — leading to a shift in the burden of proof.
—
Katrina Kaufman, CBS News, 28 Apr. 2026
On Monday, lawyers for the defendants moved for an acquittal on behalf of their clients, arguing that the government had failed to prove a conspiracy.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 28 Apr. 2026
While the murder acquittal does take life without parole off the table, the sentence means Rivera will nonetheless, barring appeals, likely spend the rest of his life in prison.
—John Annese, New York Daily News, 27 Apr. 2026
His acquittal was the first important victory for freedom of the press in Britain’s American colonies.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 27 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for acquittal
Katrina Kaufman, CBS News, 28 Apr. 2026
On Monday, lawyers for the defendants moved for an acquittal on behalf of their clients, arguing that the government had failed to prove a conspiracy.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 28 Apr. 2026
While the murder acquittal does take life without parole off the table, the sentence means Rivera will nonetheless, barring appeals, likely spend the rest of his life in prison.
—John Annese, New York Daily News, 27 Apr. 2026
His acquittal was the first important victory for freedom of the press in Britain’s American colonies.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 27 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for acquittal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for acquittal
Noun
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But his prosecution came to an abrupt halt in December 2023, when President Joe Biden granted him a pardon as part of a prisoner exchange deal negotiated with Maduro’s regime.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
18 May 2026
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Trump issued a pardon to Peters in December that was considered symbolic, because a president doesn't have jurisdiction over state-level crimes.—
Bente Birkeland,
NPR,
15 May 2026
Noun
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While hope on the horizon is presented, this rich, deeply moving drama doesn’t shy away from forgiveness being something that cannot be easily forced, even when the will may be there, however far buried.—
Josh Slater-Williams,
IndieWire,
19 May 2026
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According to Panettiere, her mother instantly begged for forgiveness and tried to have the charges dropped, but to no avail.—
Arushi Jacob,
Variety,
19 May 2026
Noun
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After joining the Guardians on a one-year, $900,000 contract, Brogdon appeared in just 15 games before being designated for assignment, clearing waivers and accepting an outright move to the Triple-A affiliate in Columbus.—
Peter Chawaga,
Forbes.com,
15 May 2026
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Given that neither Meta nor AI would rank high in a general popularity poll, the up-front announcement is something of a preemptive clearing of the decks.—
Sheri Linden,
HollywoodReporter,
15 May 2026
Noun
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The law isn’t perfect, raising several barriers to testing, but still, DNA evidence has featured in 17 of Florida’s 30 death row exonerations.—
Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board,
The Orlando Sentinel,
8 May 2026
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Despite Clark’s exoneration and the multimillion-dollar award, Warford’s killing remains unsolved, and no one has been convicted in the case.—
Stepheny Price,
FOXNews.com,
7 May 2026
Noun
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Just a handful of states are not part of the compact and Operation Nightingale may serve as some vindication for the holdouts.—
Annie Martin,
The Orlando Sentinel,
8 May 2026
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Although some Republicans appear to still be seeking vindication, Democrats are convinced the probe itself is a threat to future elections.—
Caleb Groves,
AJC.com,
7 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Acquittal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/acquittal. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
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