vindicate

American  

[vin-di-kayt] / ˈvɪn dɪˌkeɪt /

verb (used with object)

• vindicates,
  present (3rd person singular)
• vindicated,
  past participle,  past
• vindicating
  present participle

1. to clear, as from an accusation, imputation, suspicion, or the like.

   to vindicate someone's honor.

   Synonyms:

   exonerate

2. to afford justification for; justify.

   Subsequent events vindicated his policy.

3. to uphold or justify by argument or evidence.

   to vindicate a claim.

   Synonyms:

   substantiate

4. to assert, maintain, or defend (a right, cause, etc.) against opposition.

   Synonyms:

   substantiate

5. to claim for oneself or another.

6. Roman and Civil Law. to regain possession, under claim of title of property through legal procedure, or to assert one's right to possession.

7. to get revenge for; avenge.

8. Obsolete. to deliver from; liberate.

9. Obsolete. to punish.

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vindicate British  

/ ˈvɪndɪˌkeɪt /

verb

1. to clear from guilt, accusation, blame, etc, as by evidence or argument

2. to provide justification for

   his promotion vindicated his unconventional attitude

3. to uphold, maintain, or defend (a cause, etc)

   to vindicate a claim

4. Roman law to bring an action to regain possession of (property) under claim of legal title

5. rare to claim, as for oneself or another

6. obsolete to take revenge on or for; punish

7. obsolete to set free

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• vindicator
  noun
• revindicate
  verb (used with object)
• self-vindicated
  adjective
• self-vindicating
  adjective
• unvindicated
  adjective
• vindicatory
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Participles

• vindicating
  present
• vindicated
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• vindicate
  simple
• vindicates
  simple
• have vindicated
  perfect
• has vindicated
  perfect
• am vindicating
  progressive
• are vindicating
  progressive
• is vindicating
  progressive
• have been vindicating
  perfect progressive
• has been vindicating
  perfect progressive

Past

• vindicated
  simple
• had vindicated
  perfect
• was vindicating
  progressive
• were vindicating
  progressive
• had been vindicating
  perfect progressive

Future

• will vindicate
  simple
• will have vindicated
  perfect
• will be vindicating
  progressive
• will have been vindicating
  perfect progressive

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Etymology

Origin of vindicate

First recorded in 1525–35; from Latin vindicātus (past participle of vindicāre “to lay legal claim to (property); to free (someone) from servitude (by claiming him as free); to protect, avenge, punish),“ equivalent to vindic- (stem of vindex “claimant, protector, avenger”) + -ātus -ate ¹

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Explanation

Vindicate means to justify, prove, or reinforce an idea — or to absolve from guilt. If your family thinks you hogged the last piece of pie on Thanksgiving, you'll be vindicated when your younger brother fesses up. Vindicate derives from the Latin vindicatus, which is the past tense of vindicare, meaning "lay claim to" or "avenge." When a physicist proves a theory that his colleagues derided, he vindicates it. When a lawyer clears her client's name in a trial, she vindicates him. Machiavelli argued that the results he got vindicated his tactics — in other words, the ends justified the means.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

vindicate vindicates vindicated vindicating

Holmes and Evans welcomed the cameras, hoping they would help vindicate her.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026

If that version is ever unearthed, it may perhaps vindicate the director.

From Salon ● Sep. 18, 2026

The worker just doesn’t get to vindicate their rights.

From Slate ● Aug. 14, 2026

Over mint tea, Mr. Saxe-Coburg-Gotha speaks with the precision of a man who has watched history vindicate and betray his dynasty in equal measure.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 6, 2026

Trouble arose only when authors used their stories to vindicate themselves against a great hurt or perceived injustice.

From "Me Talk Pretty One Day" by David Sedaris

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar added on X that the decision "vindicates Pakistan's consistent position that a binding international treaty cannot be unilaterally suspended or set aside".

From Barron's ● Aug. 31, 2026

To AI-safety experts, it vindicates what they have been warning about all along: that AI systems would cause real-world harms and evade attempts to control them.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 1, 2026

These analysts will claim that the stock market’s huge rally to begin this week’s trading vindicates their beliefs.

From MarketWatch ● Mar. 23, 2026

Only a win vindicates the Canberra decision and can ensure a peaceful holiday in Noosa after the Test.

From BBC ● Dec. 3, 2025

One who defends, vindicates, or espouses any cause by argument; a pleader; as, an advocate of free trade, an advocate of truth.

From Webster's Unabridged Dictionary by Noah Webster

The result also vindicated Van’s claim to the championship.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 20, 2026

Those involved in that decision point to Polanski's recent struggles and feel vindicated.

From BBC ● Sep. 18, 2026

Canadian Blake Parnham recalled that moment: "I was sobbing watching the game at home because I felt so vindicated, that Buffalo is different."

From BBC ● Sep. 18, 2026

Admirers cheered that the court had at last vindicated Andrew Johnson.

From Slate ● Sep. 16, 2026

He felt vindicated; I think the margin even swelled his head a bit.

From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela

“It is a bit vindicating to see this happen in the wild,” said Jeffrey Ladish, executive director of Palisade Research, a nonprofit AI lab that studies AI capabilities to better understand risks.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 1, 2026

So watching the rest of the world finally catch up feels a little vindicating.

From Salon ● Jul. 7, 2026

But the case was a close one with only five justices full-throatedly vindicating the Fourth Amendment’s privacy protection goals.

From Slate ● Jul. 1, 2026

“He looks forward to vindicating himself in court, where such matters are decided — and not in the media — based on admissible, material evidence, not rank speculation and unsubstantiated allegations.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 3, 2026

Thus vindicating those who bore influence in her formative years.

From "In Cold Blood" by Truman Capote

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Related Words

• absolve
• acquit
• corroborate
• defend
• disprove
• exonerate
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• prove
• refute
• substantiate
• uphold

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