Word
acquit
Phoneticsac·quit, stress on the second syllable
US/əˈkwɪt/
UK/ɐkwˈɪt/
Definition
v. to say in court that someone is not guilty of a crime. You use this when a judge or jury decides the person did not break the law.
v. to formally declare someone not guilty of a criminal charge after a trial. Typically refers to a decision by a judge or jury.
Examples
“The court acquits the man of all charges.”
“After two weeks of testimony, the jury acquitted the driver of dangerous driving.”
“Although the press had already condemned him, the tribunal acquitted the officer, ruling that the evidence failed to prove intent beyond reasonable doubt.”
Examples
simple
“The court acquits the man of all charges.”
contextual
“After two weeks of testimony, the jury acquitted the driver of dangerous driving.”
complex
“Although the press had already condemned him, the tribunal acquitted the officer, ruling that the evidence failed to prove intent beyond reasonable doubt.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “acquit” in context.
Verb
01. acquit accused
“The jury acquitted the accused after hearing the final witness.”
verb + noun
02. acquit defendant
“The court acquitted the defendant owing to insufficient forensic evidence.”
verb + noun
03. acquit suspect
“Police errors led the court to acquit the suspect last Friday.”
verb + noun
04. court acquit
“The court acquitted her on the grounds of self-defence.”
noun + verb
Adjective
05. formally acquit
“The judge formally acquitted both men at the end of the trial.”
adv + verb
06. fully acquit
“The appeal court fully acquitted her after new DNA evidence emerged.”
adv + verb
Noun
07. acquit of charge
“She was acquitted of the charge after the CCTV footage was reviewed.”
verb + prep + noun
08. acquit of murder
“He was acquitted of murder when the key witness withdrew his statement.”
verb + prep + noun
09. acquit on count
“The former minister was acquitted on all counts of corruption.”
verb + prep + noun
10. acquit of all charges
“After a lengthy trial, the jury acquitted him of all charges.”
11. acquit on all counts
“The court acquitted the defendants on all counts yesterday.”
12. acquitted for lack of evidence
“She was acquitted for lack of evidence linking her to the scene.”
Usage
The verb is transitive and often takes 'of' plus the charge.
Real-World Examples
“The jury could convict her of murder or manslaughter, or acquit her if jurors believe her deteriorating mental health was to blame.” “It is the first time the juror, who refused to side with the others and acquit Clancy, has spoken publicly about his decision.” “He told ABC's Good Morning America that he was upset that the lone juror would not acquit Clancy.” “If successful, the court of appeal will quash her convictions and could order a retrial or acquit her.” Etymology
From Middle English aquī̆ten (“to give in return; to pay, repay; to redeem (a pledge, security), to make good (a promise); to make amends; to relieve of an obligation; to acquit, clear of a charge; to free; to deprive of; to do one's part, acquit oneself; to act, behave (in a certain way)”), from Old French aquiter (“to act, do”) and Medieval Latin acquitāre (“to settle a debt”), from ad- (“to”) + quitare (“to free”), equivalent to a- + quit. Doublet of acquiet; also related to quit, quiet and acquiesce.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Word family
VERB
NOUN
Related words
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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