vindicate
verb
Did you know?
It’s hard not to marvel at the rich history of vindicate. Vindicate, which has been used in English since at least the mid-16th century, comes from a form of the Latin verb vindicare, meaning “to set free, avenge, or lay claim to.” Vindicare, in turn, comes from vindex, a noun meaning “claimant” or “avenger.” Truly, vindex has proven to be an incredible hulk of a word progenitor over the centuries. Other descendants of this “avenger” assembled in English include avenge itself, revenge, vengeance, vendetta, and vindictive.
Examples of vindicate in a Sentence
Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 15 July 2025
Assistant United States Attorneys Kimberly Veirs and Ellen Bowden McIntyre negotiated the settlement, which awarded $4,000 to the complainant and an additional $2,000 civil penalty to be paid to the United States to vindicate the public interest, the release said.
—Gabrielle Chenault, The Tennessean, 3 July 2025
The Trump administration aggressively countered the assertion and was soon vindicated after further assessments indicated that the damage to Iran’s nuclear program was decisive.
—Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 29 June 2025
But she was vindicated last week when her jury found Read not guilty of second-degree murder and leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death.
—Dakin Andone, CNN Money, 23 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for vindicate
Cite this Entry
“Vindicate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vindicate. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.
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vindicate
verb
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