as in to acquit
to free from a charge of wrongdoing
no amount of remorse will absolve shoplifters who are caught, and all cases will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law
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Recent Examples of absolve
And on top of this, many platforms do not classify their riders as employees, legally absolving the companies from providing the many benefits that the workers are demanding.
—
Esha Mitra, CNN Money, 2 Jan. 2026
Veiel, conducting a forensic examination of Riefenstahl’s archives and other sources, picks apart the myth the filmmaker propagated after World War II that absolved herself of any complicity in Nazi atrocities.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 29 Dec. 2025
However, none of this should absolve personal responsibility.
—Okla Jones, Essence, 12 Dec. 2025
Moving towards healthy social media use Ironically, some experts argue that a ban may absolve social media platforms of responsibility towards their younger users.
—Angelica Ang, Fortune, 9 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for absolve
Recent Examples of Synonyms for absolve
acquit
Verb
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The pregnant driver was killed; the officer was later charged and acquitted.—
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Three presidents have been impeached, but all were acquitted after the Senate trial.—
Cite this Entry
“Absolve.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/absolve. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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