Synonyms for absolve
Synonyms by meaning
Verb
1. Exonerate — to pronounce free from or give absolution for a penalty, blame, or guilt
exonerate, acquit, clear, pardon, remit, vindicate, exculpate, disculpate, assoil dated, assoilzie dated UK, disculp rare, acquittance dated
Definitions
- v. 1
To set free, release or discharge (from obligations, debts, responsibility etc.).
You will absolve a subject from his allegiance.
- v. 2
To resolve; to explain; to solve.
- v. 3
To pronounce free from or give absolution for a penalty, blame, or guilt.
- v. 4
To pronounce not guilty; to grant a pardon for.
Related words
- Word family
- absolutionary absolutory
Forms
- Past participle
- absolved
e.g. absolved → exonerated, acquitted, clear'd, pardoned…
Choose the right word
To absolve, in the strict sense, is to set free from any bond. To absolve from sins is formally to remit their condemnation and penalty, regarded as a bond upon the soul.
J. C. Fernald, English Synonyms and Antonyms (1914)
Example sentences
- pardon I beg your pardon; I didn't quite catch your name.
- remit We will need to remit the case to a superior court.
- exonerate The DNA here doesn't exonerate Tom.
- excuse Excuse me, but where is the men's shoe department?
- liberate Work doesn't liberate, it eventually makes you tired.
By length
- 4 letters
- free1
- 5 letters
- clear1, loose1, remit2
- 6 letters
- excuse2, pardon2, exempt2, acquit2, shrive, assoil
- 7 letters
- release2, explain2, deliver3, forgive2, justify3, relieve2, amnesty3, disculp
- 8 letters
- complete2, conclude2, liberate3, decipher3, finalize3, finalise
- 9 letters
- discharge2, elucidate4, exonerate4, extricate3, vindicate3, exculpate3, assoilzie
- 10 letters
- disculpate
- 11 letters
- acquittance
The small number after each word is its number of syllables (remit2 = 2 syllables).
In other languages
- Français
- absoudre
- Italiano
- assolvere
- Español
- absolver
- Deutsch
- absolvieren
- Català
- absoldre