Vindicate means to justify, prove, or reinforce an idea — or to absolve from guilt. If your family thinks you hogged the last piece of pie on Thanksgiving, you'll be vindicated when your younger brother fesses up. If a person or their decisions, actions, or ideas are vindicated, they are proved to be correct, after people have said that they were wrong. The director said he had been vindicated by the experts' report. He called the success a vindication of his party's free-market economic policy. Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s Dictionary. Some common synonyms of vindicate are absolve, acquit, exculpate, and exonerate. VINDICATE meaning: 1. to prove that what someone said or did was right or true, after other people thought it was…. Learn more. exculpate, absolve, exonerate, acquit, vindicate mean to free from a charge. exculpate implies a clearing from blame or fault often in a matter of small importance. VINDICATED meaning: 1. past simple and past participle of vindicate 2. to prove that what someone said or did was right…. Learn more. Definition of vindicate verb in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more. To clear of accusation, blame, suspicion, or doubt with supporting arguments or proof: Our society permits people to sue for libel so that they may vindicate their reputations (Irving R. Kaufman). vindicate - v. to clear someone of blame or suspicion. Check the meaning of the word vindicate, expand your vocabulary, take a spelling test, print practice an. Words like vindicate can often be tricky—its meaning can seem straightforward but can have many shades depending on the context. Today, I’ll walk you through what it really means, how to use it correctly, and share some handy tips to make sure you're never in doubt.