vindicator

[ vin-di-key-ter ]

noun

1. a person or thing that clears someone of blame, suspicion, doubt, or the like, or that proves someone right through evidence or argument:

   His vindicator, the historian in charge of Soviet military archives, carefully analyzed the files and declared him innocent of working as a double agent.

Word History and Origins

Origin of vindicator¹

First recorded in 1560–70; vindicat(e) ( def ) + -or ¹( def )

Example Sentences

I spent some time with Bertram de Souza, the paper’s editorial page editor, who had been at the Vindicator for 40 years.

From Seattle Times

An extreme case of the withering of local news over the past decade is Youngstown, Ohio, where the beloved 150-year-old daily newspaper, the Vindicator, abruptly went out of business in 2019.

From Seattle Times

What happened to the Vindicator was a particularly notable version of an oft-repeated story: There just wasn’t enough money anymore to keep the paper afloat and pay the staff.

From Seattle Times

While it was still in business, the Vindicator was relatively lucky because it was owned by a local family for 132 years.

From Seattle Times

It confers on the plaintiff the status of a vindicator of rights, and it puts on notice those who are, or might contemplate, acting on incorrect interpretations of the law.

From Washington Post

Related Words

• advocate
• backer
• defender
• enthusiast
• exponent
• partisan
• patron
• protector
• supporter