exoneration

See exonerate.

• Rhymes: -eɪʃən

exoneration (countable and uncountable, plural exonerations)

1. An act of disburdening, discharging, or freeing morally from a charge or imputation.
   • 1815, Antonio de Alcedo, “Provincial Terms, &c.”, in G[eorge] A[lexander] Thompson, editor, The Geographical and Historical Dictionary of America and the West Indies. Containing and Entire Translation of the Spanish Work of Colonel Don Antonio de Alcedo, […] In Five Volumes, volume V, London: Printed for the author, and published by Carpenter and Son, Old Bond-Street; [et al.], →OCLC, page 8:

     Alpaca. (Camelus Pacos,) also Paco. […] This animal, like the camel, is domable, and will carry from seven to nine stone; it will fall on its knees for the convenient reception and exoneration of its burthen.

   • 2007 May 14, Patrick Mcgeehan, “New York Plan for DNA Data in Most Crimes”, in New York Times‎:

     Mr. Spitzer’s proposal also calls for the creation of a state office that would be responsible for studying all cases that resulted in exonerations and looking for flaws in the system that led to those wrongful convictions.

2. (uncountable) The state of being disburdened or freed from a charge.

• rehabilitation
• vindication