as in acquitted
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as in absolved
to free from a charge of wrongdoing
the results of the DNA fingerprinting finally exonerated the man, but only after he had wasted 10 years of his life in prison
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Recent Examples of exonerated
Anita Chabria, Los Angeles Times, 23 Dec. 2024
The convictions were overturned in 2011, and then after they were again found guilty in a retrial, the pair were exonerated by Italy’s Supreme Court of Cassation in 2015.
—Ryan Gajewski, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 Dec. 2024
Three inmates on death row were exonerated in 2024, bringing the total number of exonerations to 200 since 1973.
—Gord Magill, Newsweek, 19 Dec. 2024
Earlier this year, after another Times investigation, Pierson posthumously exonerated a woman who had falsely confessed to murder in another gruesome 1980s killing in the same Sierra foothills town, a case that involved one of the same investigators.
—Jessica Garrison, Los Angeles Times, 18 Dec. 2024
In April 2007, the state’s then-Attorney General Roy Cooper, who is now governor, reviewed the case and exonerated the three men, declaring that the charges never should have been brought against them.
—Karina Tsui, CNN, 13 Dec. 2024
Perry was released from prison and ultimately exonerated of all charges in 2021.
—Max Hauptman, USA TODAY, 11 Dec. 2024
Three years after the original suspect in a nearly 40-year-old double murder was exonerated based on DNA evidence and freed from prison after 20 years, a Georgia man has been arrested and charged in the killings.
—Max Hauptman, USA TODAY, 11 Dec. 2024
The city’s Civilian Complaint Review Board exonerated her in one instance and deemed all of the other allegations either unfounded or unsubstantiated.
—Shayla Colon, New York Times, 11 Dec. 2024
Verb
Earlier this year, Pierson also posthumously exonerated Connie Dahl, who falsely confessed to helping Davis carry out the crime, pleaded guilty to manslaughter and died in 2014 after helping to convict Davis.
—Anita Chabria, Los Angeles Times, 23 Dec. 2024
The convictions were overturned in 2011, and then after they were again found guilty in a retrial, the pair were exonerated by Italy’s Supreme Court of Cassation in 2015.
—Ryan Gajewski, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 Dec. 2024
Three inmates on death row were exonerated in 2024, bringing the total number of exonerations to 200 since 1973.
—Gord Magill, Newsweek, 19 Dec. 2024
Earlier this year, after another Times investigation, Pierson posthumously exonerated a woman who had falsely confessed to murder in another gruesome 1980s killing in the same Sierra foothills town, a case that involved one of the same investigators.
—Jessica Garrison, Los Angeles Times, 18 Dec. 2024
In April 2007, the state’s then-Attorney General Roy Cooper, who is now governor, reviewed the case and exonerated the three men, declaring that the charges never should have been brought against them.
—Karina Tsui, CNN, 13 Dec. 2024
Perry was released from prison and ultimately exonerated of all charges in 2021.
—Max Hauptman, USA TODAY, 11 Dec. 2024
Three years after the original suspect in a nearly 40-year-old double murder was exonerated based on DNA evidence and freed from prison after 20 years, a Georgia man has been arrested and charged in the killings.
—Max Hauptman, USA TODAY, 11 Dec. 2024
The city’s Civilian Complaint Review Board exonerated her in one instance and deemed all of the other allegations either unfounded or unsubstantiated.
—Shayla Colon, New York Times, 11 Dec. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Exonerated.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/exonerated. Accessed 3 Apr. 2025.
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