Acquit
/əˈkwɪt/verb
To say officially in court that someone is not guilty of a crime.
The jury acquitted him of all charges.
Often appears as...
- acquit of charges
- jury acquits
Usage tips
Formal
Definition 1 of 2
Pro Tip 1/3Legal Innocence
Use 'acquit' to describe a legal decision where someone is found not guilty.
The court acquitted the defendant after the evidence was deemed insufficient.
Pro Tip 2/3Final Judgment
An acquittal is the end of a trial; the person cannot be tried again for the same crime.
Once acquitted of the crime, they walked out of the courtroom a free person.
Pro Tip 3/3Jury's Role
A jury often decides to acquit someone after deliberation during a trial.
After hours of deliberation, the jury acquitted the accused of all charges.
Compare with
absolvecleardischargeexoneratefreeliberatereleasevindicator
Never forget "Acquit"
Humans forget easily. That's why you should download WordUp: Smart reminders, word games, AI practice, and much more!
WordUp Chrome Extension
As you browse the web instantly look up words you don’t know.
Get Chrome Extension