vindication

I

(New American Roget's College Thesaurus)

Clearing from an accusation

Nouns

1. vindication, justification, warrant; exoneration, exculpation; acquittal; whitewashing; extenuation; palliation, softening, mitigation. See justice.

2. reply, defense, demurrer, exception; apology, plea, pleading; excuse, extenuating circumstances; allowance, argument. Informal, alibi.

3. vindicator, apologist, justifier, defender, defendant; proponent.

Verbs

1. vindicate, justify, warrant; exculpate, acquit (see acquittal); clear, set right, exonerate, whitewash; extenuate, palliate, excuse, soften; apologize, put a good face upon, smooth over, explain away; mince; gloss over, bolster up. Informal, give a clean bill of health.

2. defend; advocate; stand, stick, or speak up for; bear out, support; plead, say in defense; put in a good word for; talk up. Slang, go to bat for.

3. make allowance for, take the will for the deed, do justice to; give one his due, give the devil his due; make good; prove one's case.

Adjectives — vindicated, vindicating, vindicatory, vindicative; palliative; exculpatory; apologetic, vindicable; excusable, defensible, pardonable; venial, specious, plausible, justifiable.

Phrases — never complain, never explain.

Quotations — Laugh where we must, be candid where we can; but vindicate the ways of God to man (Alexander Pope).

Antonyms, see accusation, guilt.

II

(Roget's IV) n.

Syn. defense, acquittal, clearance, justification, proof, explanation, exoneration, exculpation, support, absolution, pardon.

Ant. blame*, charge, conviction.

III

(Roget's Thesaurus II) noun 1. A freeing or clearing from accusation or guilt: exculpation, exoneration. Law: acquittal. See LAW. 2. A statement that justifies or defends something, such as a past action or policy: apologetic, apologia, apology, defense, justification. See ATTACK.