exonerate

Meanings

Verb

pronounce not guilty of criminal charges
To relieve (someone or something) of a load; to unburden (a load).
Of a body of water: to discharge or empty (itself).
To free (someone) from an obligation, responsibility or task.
To free (someone) from accusation or blame.

Adj

Freed from an obligation; freed from accusation or blame; acquitted, exonerated.

Origin / Etymology

From Middle English exoneraten (attested in past participle exonerated), from Latin exonerātus, past perfect participle of exonerō (“to discharge, unload; to exonerate”), see -ate (verb-forming suffix). Exonerō is from ex- (“out, from”) + onerō (“to burden, lade; to load”) further from onus (oner-) (“a burden, load”) + -ō (first conjugation verb-forming suffix), from Proto-Indo-European *h₃énh₂os (“burden, load”), from *h₃enh₂- (“to charge, onerate”). Compare French exonérer.

Synonyms

absolve, acquit, assoil, clear, discharge, disculpate, exculpate, exonerate, pardon, remit, vindicate

Antonyms

convict

Scrabble Score: 16

exonerate is a valid Scrabble (US) TWL word
exonerate is a valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
exonerate is a valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 17

exonerate is a valid Words With Friends word