Definition

The act of clearing someone from blame or fault, especially in a legal context.

Example

The lawyer presented evidence for the exculpation of her client, proving he was not at the scene of the crime.

Conversation

Did you hear about the meeting yesterday?

Yeah, I heard it was intense, especially with the talk of exculpation.

Right! I think they really needed some kind of exculpation for the mistakes made last quarter.

Definitely, it’s important to clarify those things to move forward.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Exculpation → It is formed from "ex-" (meaning out of or from) and "culpa" (meaning fault or blame) and the suffix "-tion" (indicating the action or process). The word "exculpation" refers to the process of freeing someone from blame or fault.

Memory Tip

Think of 'getting out of blame' — 'ex-' means out of, and 'culpa' means fault. This helps you remember that exculpation is about being freed from blame.

Visually Confused Words