acquitted
Declared not guilty
Acquitted is the past tense of acquit, meaning to declare someone not guilty of a criminal charge.
A jury or judge acquits a defendant when the prosecution fails to prove its case: The jury acquitted her of all charges.
To acquit oneself is to conduct oneself in a particular way: He acquitted himself well under pressure.
Found not guilty
- vindicatedCleared of accusation
- exoneratedCleared of wrongdoing
- absolvedFreed from guilt
- exculpatedCleared of wrongdoing
innocent · blameless · wrongful conviction · DNA evidence · charges dropped · case dismissed · overturned · retrieval
Official court decision
- juryLegal decision-making body
- courtroomJudicial proceedings chamber
- judgeOne who decides
- defendantParty facing charges
testimony · evidence · defense · prosecution · witness · deliberation · cross-examination · alibi
Cleared of charges
- juryLegal decision-making body
- trialJudicial examination of claims
- judgmentReasoned decision-making capacity
- rulingFormal legal determination
decision · unanimous · hung jury · deliberation · foreman · courtroom · announce · return
Party facing charges
- chargesAmounts owed or alleged
- prosecutionPursuing legal charges
- defenseProtection against harm
- counselExpert guidance offered
evidence · testimony · reasonable doubt · burden of proof · criminal trial · indictment · arraignment · plea
Released from confinement
- releasedSet free from confinement
- liberatedReleased from confinement
- unburdenedFreed from a load
- reprievePostponement of punishment
deliverance · exhale · closure · peace · gratitude · tears · embrace · reunion
Set free from confinement
- dischargedOfficially let go
- liberatedReleased from confinement
- unshackledReleased from restraints
- unfetteredFree from restriction
free · reprieve · clemency · deliverance · uncharged · unburdened · relieved · emancipated
Clearance of blame
- restoredReturned to original condition
- honorHigh regard, moral dignity
- dignityInnate personal worth
- stigmaMark of dishonor
public opinion · media · headlines · credibility · standing · exculpation · redemption · tarnished
cleared
Found not guilty
- vindicatedCleared of accusation
- exoneratedCleared of wrongdoing
- absolvedFreed from guilt
exculpated · innocent · blameless · wrongful conviction · DNA evidence · charges dropped · case dismissed · overturned · retrieval · compensated
verdict
Official court decision
defendant · testimony · evidence · defense · prosecution · witness · deliberation · cross-examination · alibi · plea
not guilty
Cleared of charges
- juryLegal decision-making body
- trialJudicial examination of claims
- judgmentReasoned decision-making capacity
ruling · decision · unanimous · hung jury · deliberation · foreman · courtroom · announce · return · deliver
defendant
Party facing charges
- chargesAmounts owed or alleged
- prosecutionPursuing legal charges
- defenseProtection against harm
counsel · evidence · testimony · reasonable doubt · burden of proof · criminal trial · indictment · arraignment · plea · motion
freed
Released from confinement
- releasedSet free from confinement
- liberatedReleased from confinement
- unburdenedFreed from a load
reprieve · deliverance · exhale · closure · peace · gratitude · tears · embrace · reunion · second chance
released
Set free from confinement
- dischargedOfficially let go
- liberatedReleased from confinement
- unshackledReleased from restraints
unfettered · free · reprieve · clemency · deliverance · uncharged · unburdened · relieved · emancipated · set free
vindication
Clearance of blame
stigma · public opinion · media · headlines · credibility · standing · exculpation · redemption · tarnished · rebuilding
- criminal justicearrest, jail, court, prison, crime
- legal termstrial, legal, appeal, lawsuit, law
- verdictsguilty verdict, guilty, not guilty, innocent, convicted
- blamelessinnocent, guiltless, faultless, blameless, cleared
- accountabilityaccountability, responsibility, accountable, take responsibility, answerability
- innocenceinnocent, innocence, purity, pure, blameless
acquittedconvicted
Judged guilty of crime
guilty · condemned · found guilty · sentenced · indicted
acquittedblamed
Held at fault
held responsible · incriminated · implicated · condemned · censured