adjudicate

[ uh-joo-di-keyt ]

verb (used with object)

, ad·ju·di·cat·ed, ad·ju·di·cat·ing.

1. to pronounce or decree by judicial sentence.
2. to settle or determine (an issue or dispute) judicially.
3. to act as judge of (a contest).

verb (used without object)

, ad·ju·di·cat·ed, ad·ju·di·cat·ing.

1. to sit in judgment (usually followed by upon ).

adjudicate

/ əˈdʒuːdɪkətɪv; əˈdʒuːdɪˌkeɪt /

verb

1. whenintr, usually foll by upon to give a decision (on), esp a formal or binding one
2. intr to act as an adjudicator
3. tr chess to determine the likely result of (a game) by counting relative value of pieces, positional strength, etc
4. intr to serve as a judge or arbiter, as in a competition

Derived Forms

• adjudicative, adjective
• adˌjudiˈcation, noun

Other Words From

• ad·ju·di·ca·tive [uh, -, joo, -di-key-tiv, ‑k, uh, -tiv], ad·ju·di·ca·to·ry [uh, -, joo, -di-k, uh, -tawr-ee], adjective
• ad·ju·di·ca·tor noun
• non·ad·ju·di·ca·tive adjective
• non·ad·ju·di·ca·tive·ly adverb
• re·ad·ju·di·cate verb readjudicated readjudicating

Word History and Origins

Origin of adjudicate¹

First recorded in 1690–1700; from Latin adjūdicātus (past participle of adjūdicāre ); ad-, judge, -ate ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of adjudicate¹

C18: from Latin adjūdicāre to award something to someone, from ad- to + jūdicāre to act as a judge, from jūdex judge

Example Sentences

The sciences, when they look at human thought, feeling, and behavior, do not appeal to philosophical ideas like good reasons for believing moral claims to be true, or attempt to adjudicate the soundness of moral arguments.

From Nautilus

AB 989 creates a state Housing Accountability Committee to adjudicate violations of the Housing Accountability Act.

From Voice of San Diego

In an interview, she added there are “more that are being adjudicated” and that a final number would be presented Friday.

From Washington Post

If, however, you exist in the alternate universe of Republican conspiracy theorizing, you would know that there were actually questions about the 2020 results — questions that remain even after they’d been repeatedly adjudicated and dismissed.

From Washington Post

Incidents do not have to be adjudicated in the court system to be included.

From Washington Post

But law enforcement and the courts were torn on how to adjudicate the matter.

From The Daily Beast

The folks from RecordSetter.com were there, the hosts told the hopeful twerkers, to adjudicate and certify the world record.

From The Daily Beast

With the war having destroyed the judicial system, Syrians seek out members of ISIS to adjudicate disputes.

From The Daily Beast

Mexico has comparable federal bureaucratic structures, as well as an independent Electoral Tribunal to adjudicate disputes.

From The Daily Beast

First, Congress should eliminate the power of federal courts to adjudicate separation of powers cases.

From The Daily Beast

The United States will adjudicate and settle the claims of its citizens against Spain relinquished in this article.

From Project Gutenberg

Hillel then undertakes to adjudicate between the contending views by striking a compromise.

From Project Gutenberg

Here is a Court primarily designed to adjudicate on the simple disputes of poor people.

From Project Gutenberg

He did not adjudicate with his previous rigor, however, because of the success of Justice Sandford's policy of leniency.

From Project Gutenberg

I made every effort to adjudicate the case, but as each clan seemed unwilling to yield, failed to bring the parties together.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• arbitrate