noun · neutral
acquittal
/əˈkwɪtəl/a·KWIT·tal
a legal judgment that a person is not guilty of the crime with which they were charged
Examples
“The jury's acquittal surprised many observers.”
“An acquittal does not always restore a person's reputation.”
“He celebrated his acquittal after a lengthy trial.”
Band 8 sentence
“Although the defendant received an acquittal, the damage to his public image proved irreversible.”
Collocations
- be acquitted
- result in acquittal
- acquittal by a jury
Word family
Common mistakes
translate as 'được tha' (pardon) or 'cleared' without legal nuance→acquittal
use 'innocent' in legal phrasing (e.g. 'He was innocent by the court')→acquitted / found not guilty
Say it for a higher band
5found not guilty→6not guilty verdict→7+acquittal
Synonyms
not guilty verdict
Easily confused
pardon
“Despite public outcry, the president refused to grant a pardon after the jury's conviction.”
Related words
Learn this word with the rest of its set, and get reminded at the right time.
In Crime & Law
Learn it with its set