n. · formal
verdict
UK/ˈvɜː.dɪkt/US/ˈvɝː.dɪkt/VER·dict
Band 5-6speakingtask2
The final decision by a judge or jury about whether someone is guilty.
Examples
“The jury returned a guilty verdict after just three hours.”
“Many people disagreed with the verdict in that high‑profile case.”
“The defendant anxiously awaited the verdict.”
Band 8 sentence
“After hours of deliberation the jury finally returned a unanimous verdict of not guilty.”
Collocations
- reach a verdict
- deliver/announce a verdict
- overturn a verdict
Word family
verdict n.
Common mistakes
The jury give verdict.→The jury gave a verdict.
They made the decision (meaning verdict).→They reached a verdict.
Say it for a higher band
5decision→6judgment→7+verdict
Synonyms
judgment
Easily confused
judgment
“The judge's judgment explained how the law applied to the facts.”
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