Acquittal

Definition

Acquittal is a noun meaning a formal legal judgment that a person charged with a crime is not guilty; more broadly, the state of being cleared of a criminal accusation. In rarer usage, it can refer to the document or official record evidencing such a judgment.

Parts of Speech

• Noun

Pronunciation

American English

• IPA: /əˈkwɪtəl/
• Respelling: uh-KWIT-uhl

British English

• IPA: /əˈkwɪt(ə)l/
• Respelling: uh-KWIT-uhl

Etymology

Late Middle English: from acquit + the noun-forming suffix -al. Acquit comes via Old French aquiter/acquiter “to release, discharge,” from Medieval Latin acquietāre, based on Latin quiētus “quiet, at rest.”

Derivatives

• acquit (verb) — to free from a criminal charge by a verdict of not guilty
• acquitted (adjective) — having been found not guilty
• acquittals (plural noun)
• acquittor (noun, rare) — a juror who votes to acquit
• acquittee (noun, rare) — a person who has been acquitted

Synonyms

• not-guilty verdict
• clearing
• exoneration (near-synonym; broader than criminal verdict)
• absolution

Antonyms

• conviction
• guilty verdict
• condemnation
• finding of guilt

Usage

Legal (primary): An acquittal follows a trial (jury or bench) or may be entered by a judge as a judgment of acquittal. It may be complete (on all counts) or partial (on some counts). After an acquittal, retrial for the same offense is barred in many jurisdictions (e.g., under “double jeopardy”).

• “The jury returned an acquittal on the fraud charges.”
• “The court granted a judgment of acquittal due to insufficient evidence.”
• “She obtained a partial acquittal, but was convicted on one lesser count.”

Not to be confused with: dismissal (case ended without a verdict), nolle prosequi (prosecutor drops charges), pardon (executive forgiveness), or exoneration (broader clearing, sometimes post-conviction).

Related Terms

• Acquit: The verb meaning to find not guilty.
• Conviction: A finding of guilt (opposed to acquittal).
• Verdict: The formal finding—e.g., “guilty” or “not guilty.”
• Judgment of acquittal: A court-entered ruling that the evidence is legally insufficient.
• Double jeopardy: Prohibition on being tried again after acquittal (jurisdiction-dependent).
• Mistrial / Hung jury: No verdict; may permit retrial.
• Dismissal / Nolle prosequi: Ending a case without a verdict on the merits.

Detailed Definitions

Noun

• A formal verdict or judgment that a defendant is not guilty of a criminal charge — a legal determination resolving the charge in the defendant’s favor.
  • Example: “After two days of deliberation, the jury announced an acquittal.”
• The state or condition of being cleared of criminal accusation — the status resulting from a not-guilty verdict.
  • Example: “Public reaction to his acquittal was sharply divided.”
• (Rare) The written record or certificate of such a verdict.
  • Example: “The clerk entered the acquittal in the docket.”