absolve
Americanverb (used with object)
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to free from guilt or blame or their consequences.
The court absolved her of guilt in his death.
- Antonyms:
- blame
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to set free or release, as from some duty, obligation, or responsibility (usually followed byfrom ).
to be absolved from one's oath.
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to grant pardon for.
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Ecclesiastical.
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to grant or pronounce remission of sins to.
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to remit (a sin) by absolution.
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to declare (censure, as excommunication) removed.
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verb
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(usually foll by from) to release from blame, sin, punishment, obligation, or responsibility
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to pronounce not guilty; acquit; pardon
Related Words
Absolve, acquit, exonerate all mean to free from blame. Absolve is a general word for this idea. To acquit is to release from a specific and usually formal accusation: The court must acquit the accused if there is not enough evidence of guilt. To exonerate is to consider a person clear of blame or consequences for an act (even when the act is admitted), or to justify the person for having done it: to be exonerated for a crime committed in self-defense.
Other Word Forms
- absolvable adjective
- absolvent adjective
- absolver noun
- unabsolved adjective
Etymology
Origin of absolve
1525–35; < Latin absolvere, equivalent to ab- ab- + solvere to loosen; solve
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.
The Student Group Claim argues this basic principle of consumer law overrides any clauses in university contracts which seek to absolve the institution from responsibility for disruption.
From BBC • Feb. 16, 2026
Rather than developing parallel systems that may make markets less efficient and transparent and absolve companies of the responsibility of managing risks, we need strengthened implementation of proven frameworks.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 30, 2026
Anthropic later purchasing books that it initially pirated did not absolve the company, but it may impact the extent of statutory damages, Alsup said.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 25, 2025
The site allegedly intended to print the figure alongside the list price in an attempt to absolve itself of responsibility for the inevitable price hikes.
From Slate • May 2, 2025
I might be lower than the ground, but that doesn’t absolve her from obligations to her own honor.
From "The Cruel Prince" by Holly Black
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.
