Library / English Dictionary

VINDICATE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Show to be right by providing justification or proof

Example:

vindicate a claim

Synonyms:

justify; vindicate

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Hypernyms (to "vindicate" is one way to...):

maintain; uphold (support against an opponent)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "vindicate"):

excuse; explain (serve as a reason or cause or justification of)

legitimate (show or affirm to be just and legitimate)

warrant (provide adequate grounds to justify (a certain course of action))

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Derivation:

vindication (the justification for some act or belief)

vindicator (a person who argues to defend or justify some policy or institution)

vindicatory (providing justification)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Clear of accusation, blame, suspicion, or doubt with supporting proof

Example:

You must vindicate yourself and fight this libel

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Hypernyms (to "vindicate" is one way to...):

acquit; assoil; clear; discharge; exculpate; exonerate (pronounce not guilty of criminal charges)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody

Sense 3

Meaning:

Maintain, uphold, or defend

Example:

vindicate the rights of the citizens

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Hypernyms (to "vindicate" is one way to...):

defend; maintain (state or assert)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

vindication (the act of vindicating or defending against criticism or censure etc.)

vindication (the justification for some act or belief)

vindicator (a person who argues to defend or justify some policy or institution)

Credits

 Context examples: 

But I could have easily vindicated humankind from the imputation of singularity upon the last article, if there had been any swine in that country (as unluckily for me there were not), which, although it may be a sweeter quadruped than a Yahoo, cannot, I humbly conceive, in justice, pretend to more cleanliness; and so his honour himself must have owned, if he had seen their filthy way of feeding, and their custom of wallowing and sleeping in the mud.

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)

This, too, I learned, and quickly, for I felt somehow a wild desire to vindicate myself in Wolf Larsen’s eyes, to prove my right to live in ways other than of the mind.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)