Meaning & use
acquittal
A formal legal judgment that a defendant is not guilty of the crime charged.
See it in a sentence
The lawyer celebrated the acquittal after months of preparing the defense.
Her acquittal came as a surprise given the strength of the evidence presented.
A note on using this word
Acquittal is the noun paired with the verb 'acquit' and refers specifically to the outcome of a criminal trial.
Words with a similar meaning
exoneration
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Words with an opposite meaning
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