absolved

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To declare someone free from blame, guilt, or responsibility for something. It is often used in a legal, moral, or religious context, meaning to forgive or excuse someone from their wrongdoing or fault.

Pronunciation: /əbˈzɒlvd/ (uhb-ZOLVD)

Part of Speech: Verb (past tense of “absolve”)

Definition:

To declare someone free from blame, guilt, or responsibility for something. It is often used in a legal, moral, or religious context, meaning to forgive or excuse someone from their wrongdoing or fault.

Example Sentences

1. The judge absolved the defendant of all charges after new evidence was presented.
2. The priest absolved the sinner after hearing his confession.

Etymology

“Absolved” comes from the Latin word absolvere, which means “to set free, acquit, complete,” derived from ab- (away from) and solvere (to loosen).

Synonyms

Here’s an explanation of the differences between absolved and its synonyms:

1. Forgave: Refers to pardoning a personal or moral wrongdoing, often on an emotional or interpersonal level. It doesn’t necessarily carry legal or formal weight. Absolved can be used in legal, moral, or religious contexts, often implying a more formal or official release from blame or guilt.
   • Example: He forgave her for lying, but absolved might be used if a priest forgives sins in a religious ceremony.
2. Pardoned: Typically used in legal contexts where a government official, such as a president, officially removes someone’s punishment. Absolved, while it can also be legal, tends to emphasize freedom from guilt or blame rather than formal legal procedures.
   • Example: The president pardoned the criminal, whereas absolved could apply in a wider context, including religious forgiveness.
3. Exonerated: Focuses on clearing someone from blame after being accused, usually through the discovery of new evidence. Absolved implies forgiveness or removal of guilt, but not necessarily that the person was proven innocent; it could mean they were forgiven despite wrongdoing.
   • Example: He was exonerated when new evidence surfaced, but absolved might be used when someone is forgiven regardless of proof.
4. Acquitted: A legal term used when someone is officially found not guilty by a court. Absolved can be used outside the legal system, including moral or religious forgiveness, while acquitted is strictly legal.
   • Example: The court acquitted him, but absolved could be used in a non-legal context, like absolving someone of responsibility in a moral sense.
5. Exculpated: Similar to exonerated, it means someone is cleared of guilt, often legally, and implies innocence. Absolved can refer to being freed from guilt or blame, but doesn’t necessarily mean the person was proven innocent—it could mean they were forgiven.
   • Example: The evidence exculpated him, showing he wasn’t guilty, but absolved might mean he was forgiven despite evidence.

In summary, absolved is broader and can apply to moral, legal, or religious contexts, whereas the other terms are often more specific to either personal forgiveness (forgave), legal situations (pardoned, acquitted), or proving innocence (exonerated, exculpated).

Antonyms

Here’s an explanation of the antonyms of absolved, touching on how they differ:

1. Condemned: This means to officially declare someone guilty or to express strong disapproval. While absolved frees someone from blame or guilt, condemned implies the opposite—assigning guilt and possibly a punishment.
   • Example: He was condemned for his crimes, unlike being absolved, which would mean his guilt was forgiven or erased.
2. Blamed: To hold someone responsible for something bad. Absolved releases someone from responsibility, while blamed directly attributes the fault or responsibility to them.
   • Example: She was blamed for the accident, which contrasts with being absolved, where her responsibility would be dismissed.
3. Accused: This means to claim or charge someone with wrongdoing. Absolved is the opposite, as it frees someone from accusations or blame, while accused suggests someone is being held responsible.
   • Example: He was accused of theft, but being absolved would mean the accusation no longer holds.
4. Charged: Refers to a formal legal accusation of a crime. While absolved means someone is cleared or forgiven, charged suggests that someone is formally held responsible for a crime.
   • Example: The suspect was charged with fraud, but if absolved, the charges would be lifted.
5. Incriminated: This means to imply or show someone’s involvement in a crime or wrongdoing. Absolved would free someone from guilt, whereas incriminated means they are shown to be guilty.
   • Example: The evidence incriminated him, while being absolved would mean he is cleared of guilt.

In summary, while absolved frees someone from guilt, responsibility, or blame, these antonyms—condemned, blamed, accused, charged, and incriminated—all focus on assigning guilt or holding someone responsible for wrongdoing.

Usage Notes

It’s a transitive verb, meaning it usually requires an object, like in “absolved him of the crime.”

“Absolved” is often used in religious contexts, such as when a priest forgives sins, but it can also be used in legal or general contexts where someone is freed from blame or guilt.

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