Basic Details
Word: Exonerate
Part of Speech: Verb
Meaning: To clear someone from blame or fault; to prove that they are not guilty.
Synonyms: Acquit, absolve, vindicate
Antonyms: Incriminate, accuse, blame
Idioms and Phrases
- To exonerate someone from suspicion: To prove that someone was not involved in wrongdoing. Example: "The new evidence served to exonerate her from suspicion in the case."
- Exonerate and elevate: To remove blame and simultaneously raise someone's status or reputation. Example: "The investigation aimed to exonerate the officer and elevate his standing in the community."
Usage Examples
Example 1: After a thorough review of the evidence, the judge decided to exonerate the defendant of all charges.
Example 2: The new DNA results exonerated the man who had spent years in prison for a crime he did not commit.
Example 3: The investigation helped to exonerate her, revealing that she had been wrongly accused of the theft.
Fun Fact
The word "exonerate" comes from the Latin word "exonerare," which means to "unburden" or "relieve of a burden." This reflects the idea of freeing someone from the weight of blame or guilt.
Famous Quote
"The only thing worse than being wrong is being right and having it be used against you. But the truth can be enough to exonerate the innocent." - Unknown
Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
1. What does "exonerate" mean?
a) To find someone guilty
b) To clear someone from blame
c) To ignore a problem
d) To punish someone
Answer: b) To clear someone from blame
2. Which of these is a synonym of "exonerate"?
a) Incriminate
b) Acquit
c) Blame
d) Accuse
Answer: b) Acquit
3. Which word is an antonym of "exonerate"?
a) Absolve
b) Vindicate
c) Accuse
d) Justify
Answer: c) Accuse
4. Which sentence uses "exonerate" correctly?
a) The evidence helped to exonerate him from the accusations against him.
b) He tried to exonerate his sandwich to make it tastier.
c) She exonerated the car to make it go faster.
d) The teacher exonerated the homework from the earlier lesson.
Answer: a) The evidence helped to exonerate him from the accusations against him.
5. What does the phrase "to exonerate someone from suspicion" mean?
a) To make someone more suspect
b) To prove someone was involved
c) To clear someone of being involved
d) To ignore someone's actions
Answer: c) To clear someone of being involved
