# absolutory

CEFR C2 · Adjective

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/absolutory
Updated: 2026-06-22

## Definition

describing something that completely frees someone from a duty, a crime, or a punishment. It is often used in legal or religious contexts to talk about forgiveness or release.

For teachers: serving to absolve or release from a legal, moral, or religious obligation or penalty. Typically used in legal or ecclesiastical contexts to describe a formal act of forgiveness or discharge.

## Examples

- The judge gave an absolutory sentence to the young offender.
- The priest offered an absolutory prayer to the dying man, providing him with a sense of peace and release from his sins.
- In many jurisdictions, a plea of guilty can lead to an absolutory order that prevents the defendant from being prosecuted for the same offense in the future.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.