exonerate

UK: /ɪgˈzɒnəreɪt/ US: /ɪgˈzɑnəˌreɪt/ ,(ig zon′ə rāt′)

Inflections of 'exonerate' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

exonerates

v 3rd person singular

exonerating

v pres p

exonerated

v past

exonerated

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

ex•on•er•ate /ɪgˈzɑnəˌreɪt/   v. [~ + object] , -at•ed, -at•ing. 

1. to clear or free from an accusation, guilt, or blame:
   The court exonerated him from any responsibility for the accident.

ex•on•er•a•tion /ɪgˌzɑnəˈreɪʃən/  n. [uncountable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

ex•on•er•ate  (ig zon′ə rāt′), v.t., -at•ed, -at•ing. 

1. to clear, as of an accusation;
   free from guilt or blame;
   exculpate:
   He was exonerated from the accusation of cheating.
2. to relieve, as from an obligation, duty, or task.

• Latin exonerātus (past participle of exonerāre to unburden, discharge), equivalent. to ex- ex-¹ + oner- (stem of onus) a burden + -ātus -ate¹
• late Middle English 1515–25

ex•on′er•a′tion, n. 
ex•on′er•a′tive, adj. 
ex•on′er•a′tor, n. 
Synonyms

• 1. vindicate. See absolve. 
• 2. release, discharge, free.

Antonyms

• 1. blame.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

exonerate / ɪɡˈzɒnəˌreɪt/ verb (transitive)

1. to clear or absolve from blame or a criminal charge
2. to relieve from an obligation or task; exempt

Etymology: 16th Century: from Latin exonerāre to free from a burden, from onus a burden

exˌonerˈation noun

exˈonerative adjective

exˈonerˌator noun