exoneration

[ ig-zon-uh-rey-shuhn ]

noun

1. the act of clearing someone of blame or of an accusation or criminal charge:

   I would like to highlight the importance of not only the release, but also the exoneration of political prisoners.

2. the act of relieving someone of an obligation or duty:

   The granting of tax exemptions and exonerations is one of the most common types of influence peddling used by corrupt regimes.

Word History and Origins

Origin of exoneration¹

First recorded in 1550–60; from Latin exonerātiōn-, stem of exonerātiō “an unburdening, discharging,” equivalent to exonerāt(us) + -iō -ion ( def ); exonerate ( def )

Example Sentences

Often there is more than one cause, with official misconduct cropping up in more than half of all exonerations.

From Time

The 61-year-old retires in June after directing the exoneration program since its inception almost two decades ago.

From Washington Post

Each exoneration took her an average of six years, Nethercott said.

From Washington Post

The article described how, even after Steese was proven innocent 17 years after his conviction, the Clark County District Attorney’s Office fought his exoneration.

From ProPublica

People are also now more aware of the at least 174 death row exonerations that have occurred since the 1970s, including the exoneration of Virginian Earl Washington, who was released in 2000 after spending 17 years in prison.

From Time

But Rosenthal withheld an official exoneration, which would have entitled Rodriguez to a potential $1.4 million in state money.

From The Daily Beast

Lykos recommended an exoneration and a judge accepted, clearing the way for Rodriguez to collect his compensation.

From The Daily Beast

The most recent exoneration came in March for George Rodriguez, who served 17 years for a rape he did not commit.

From The Daily Beast

Mollohan portrayed the end of the inquiry as an exoneration and is seeking his 15th term in the House in the November elections.

From The Daily Beast

They will satisfy you, I think, that the exoneration I seek will be a simple act of justice.

From Project Gutenberg

And there was too the impulse for further self-exoneration, to be assured that she was right, to feel that she was injured.

From Project Gutenberg

The plea of exoneration was that those gifts had been freely accepted without pledging the vote.

From Project Gutenberg

She was waiting the word of forgiveness from the one she loved best of all, but Peggy was awaiting Tzaritza's exoneration.

From Project Gutenberg

Listen, Florrie, here's something that pleases me as much as my exoneration by the Board of Inquiry.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• absolution