MEANING
To clear someone from blame, fault, or an imposed liability.
Use it for
Words that belong together
- exonerate a suspect
- exonerate from liability
On the page
The recovered record exonerated her from the charge.
He hoped the inquiry would exonerate him rather than close the case.
Nearby words
Related words
Word forms
- Base
- exonerate
- Past tense
- exonerated
- Past participle
- exonerated
- Present participle
- exonerating
Full tense & aspect guide
- Present
- exonerate
- Present continuous
- am/is/are exonerating
- Present perfect
- have/has exonerated
- Present perfect continuous
- have/has been exonerating
- Past
- exonerated
- Past continuous
- was/were exonerating
- Past perfect
- had exonerated
- Past perfect continuous
- had been exonerating
- Future
- will exonerate
- Future continuous
- will be exonerating
- Future perfect
- will have exonerated
- Future perfect continuous
- will have been exonerating
Choose the auxiliary that agrees with your subject. These are constructions of one word, not separate entries.
Usage notes
Primary category: literary. Forms: exonerate; exonerates; exonerated; exonerated; exonerating Legacy lexical fields mirror sense 1 only. Use numbered sense fields for all meanings. Third-person singular: exonerates.
Practice this word in a sentenceYour margin notes
Keep a thought for later. Sign in to save privately.