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.” VINDICATE meaning: 1. to prove that what someone said or did was right or true, after other people thought it was…. Learn more.

Understanding the Context

To vindicate someone means to free them from blame or suspicion, often by proving they are right or justified. Yes, vindicate can be used in legal contexts to refer to the act of defending rights or proving innocence. Indeed, vindicate can also imply personal affirmation or proving one's self-worth. vindicate somebody to prove that somebody is not guilty when they have been accused of doing something wrong or illegal; to prove that somebody is right about something.

Key Insights

New evidence emerged, vindicating him completely. VINDICATE definition: 1. to prove that what someone said or did was right or true, after other people thought it was…. Learn more. When you vindicate someone, you show that they are innocent or correct.

Final Thoughts

When you seek vindication, you're trying to prove or establish that innocence or correctness. To vindicate means to clear someone of blame, suspicion, or accusations, providing justification or proof for their actions or behavior. It can also refer to the act of defending or maintaining a right or cause against criticism or affirming its credibility or validity. If a person or their decisions, actions, or ideas are vindicated, they are proved to be correct, after people have said that they were wrong. The director said he had been vindicated by the experts' report. He called the success a vindication of his party's free-market economic policy.

Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s Dictionary.