| Main Entry: | |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | vindication |
| Synonyms: | absolution, acquittal, exculpation, pardon |
| Main Entry: | acquittal |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | declaration removing blame |
| Synonyms: | absolution, acquitting, amnesty, clearance, deliverance, discharge, discharging, dismissal, dismissing, exculpation, exemption, exoneration, freeing, letting off, liberation, pardon, release, releasing, relief from, reprieve, vindication |
| Antonyms: | blame, censure, conviction, denunciation, doom, sentence |
| Main Entry: | defense |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | explanation, justification |
| Synonyms: | answer, apologetics, apologia, apologizing, apology, argument, cleanup, copout, exculpation, excuse, excusing, exoneration, explaining, extenuation, fish story, jive, off-time, plea, rationalization, rejoinder, reply, response, retort, return, song and dance, story, vindication, whitewash |
| Antonyms: | betrayal, capitulation, yielding |
| Main Entry: | discharge |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | setting free |
| Synonyms: | acquittal, clearance, disimprisonment, exoneration, liberation, pardon, parole, probation, release, remittance |
| Antonyms: | hold, imprisonment, incarceration, keep, retention |
| Main Entry: | exemption |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | freedom from a responsibility |
| Synonyms: | absolution, discharge, dispensation, exception, exoneration, immunity, impunity, privilege, release |
| Antonyms: | accountability, answerability, liability, responsibility |
| Main Entry: | forgiveness |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | pardon; end of blame |
| Synonyms: | absolution, acquittal, amnesty, charity, clemency, compassion, condonation, dispensation, exculpation, exoneration, extenuation, grace, immunity, impunity, indemnity, justification, lenience, lenity, mercy, overlooking, palliation, purgation, quarter, quittance, remission, remittal, reprieve, respite, vindication |
| Antonyms: | accusation, blame, censure, charge, punishment, sentence |
| Main Entry: | immunity |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | privilege, exemption |
| Synonyms: | amnesty, charter, exoneration, franchise, freedom, impunity, indemnity, invulnerability, liberty, license, prerogative, protection, release, resistance, right |
| Notes: | impunity is protection from punishment, just as immunity is protection from disease |
| Antonyms: | defenselessness, responsibility, susceptibility, vulnerability |
| Main Entry: | justification |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | reason, excuse |
| Synonyms: | absolution, account, acquittal, advocacy, answer, apologia, apology, approval, argument, basis, confirmation, defense, exculpation, exoneration, explanation, extenuation, grounds, idea, mitigation, palliation, palliative, plea, pretext, raison d'être, rationale, rationalization, rebuttal, redemption, reply, response, salvation, sanctification, song and dance, story, support, validation, vindication, warrant, whatfor, wherefore, whitewashing, whole idea, why and wherefore |
| Main Entry: | pardon |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | forgiveness |
| Synonyms: | absolution, acquittal, allowance, amnesty, anchor, clemency, commute, conciliation, condonation, discharge, exculpation, excuse, exoneration, forbearance, freeing, grace, indemnification, indemnity, indulgence, justification, kindness, lifeboat, lifesaver, mercy, release, remission, reprieve, vindication |
| Antonyms: | chastisement, condemnation, damning, ostracization, penalty, punishment |