absolving 1 of 3

adjective

as in pardoning

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absolving

2 of 3

noun

as in absolution

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absolving

3 of 3

verb

present participle of absolve
as in acquitting
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of absolving
Verb
But that also eradicates a crucial option - to mount a show trial and scapegoat him for all the ills of his rule, thus absolving others. — Melik Kaylan, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026 Compared to the absolving gleam of latex, sloppy imperfection isn’t especially sexy. — Lillian Fishman, New Yorker, 25 Feb. 2026 The team issued a series of statements Wednesday accepting blame for approving the design and absolving the league’s uniform manufacturer, Fanatics, of responsibility. — Stephen J. Nesbitt, New York Times, 19 Feb. 2026 Attorney Tom Mincer and our team remain steadfast in our commitment to absolving Lenny of all possession charges. — Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 6 Jan. 2026 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for absolving
  1. exculpatory
  2. absolution
  3. acquitting
  4. forgiveness
  5. exonerating
  6. dispensation
Adjective
  • However, even after an officer is taken off the list, prosecutors still maintain those potentially exculpatory records.
    — Sam Charles, Chicago Tribune, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Kohberger alleges that his attorneys withheld potentially exculpatory evidence, misled him about the consequences of pleading guilty and relied on threats and false promises to persuade him to accept the deal.
    — Chris Spargo, PEOPLE, 27 July 2026
Definition of exculpatory
Noun
  • Confession does not guarantee absolution, nor uprightness virtue.
    — Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 22 Sep. 2026
  • The woman’s love and affection, as well as her genuine repentance, won his absolution of her sins.
    — Eric Bashor, Christian Science Monitor, 13 July 2026
Definition of absolution
Verb
  • By acquitting Fisher, the council members had inadvertently exonerated Metze.
    — Benjamin Wofford, New Yorker, 21 Sep. 2026
  • Eleven gullible idiots were talked into acquitting because of an imaginary female ailment.
    — Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 20 Sep. 2026
Definition of acquitting
Noun
  • Writer-director Reed Van Dyk’s feature debut navigates tricky emotional waters but emerges as a trenchant examination of what forgiveness and penitence can look like, allowing no room for anything resembling a pat happy ending.
    — Tim Grierson, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Eligible businesses could apply for loans guaranteed by the Small Business Administration, with additional requirements for those seeking loan forgiveness.
    — Paula Wethington, CBS News, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of forgiveness
Verb
  • One day later, the agency suddenly reversed its decision, announcing that its test results were a false positive, seemingly exonerating Taylor Farms.
    — Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 22 July 2026
  • This evidence is considered among the most important to both sides, potentially either dooming OpenAI as an infringer or exonerating its chatbot technology as a transformative fair use of news sites’ content.
    — Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 9 July 2026
Definition of exonerating
Noun
  • But the old dispensation was also something like the countryside of his childhood, which experience has disenchanted.
    — Max Norman, Harpers Magazine, 22 Sep. 2026
  • The only exception was the Swiss ski team which had special dispensation to keep training.
    — Rob Hodgetts, CNN Money, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of dispensation

Browse Nearby Words

absolves
absolving
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Cite this Entry

“Absolving.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/absolving. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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