# acquittal

/əˈkwɪtəɫ/ (US) · /ɐkwˈɪtəl/ (UK) · CEFR C1 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/acquittal
Updated: 2026-05-09

## Definition

a formal decision in a court of law that someone is not guilty of a crime. It happens when a judge or jury decides there is not enough evidence to convict you.

For teachers: a formal legal judgment that an accused person is not guilty of the charges brought against them. Occurs when the prosecution fails to prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt.

## Examples

- The trial ended in an acquittal for the defendant.
- Despite the intense media scrutiny, the jury returned an acquittal after only three hours of deliberation.
- Legal experts noted that the acquittal was largely due to the exclusion of key evidence that had been obtained without a proper warrant.

## Usage notes

- Often used with the preposition 'of' to specify the charge, as in 'an acquittal of all charges'.

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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.