What does "verdict" mean?

1. (legal decision) the official decision made by a jury at the end of a trial to say if someone is guilty or not. 2. (opinion or judgement) your final opinion or decision about something after you have tried it or thought about it.

How do you use "verdict"?

Commonly used with the verbs 'reach', 'return', or 'deliver'.

verdict

US //ˈvɝdɪkt// UK //vˈɜːdɪkt// ver·dict

1 legal decision (n.)
B2 Upper Intermediate Law

the official decision made by a jury at the end of a trial to say if someone is guilty or not.

the formal finding of fact made by a jury on matters or questions submitted to them during a trial.

Example

The jury took three days to reach a verdict of not guilty.

Example

After deliberating for nearly forty-eight hours, the jury returned a unanimous verdict, bringing the high-profile murder trial to a dramatic conclusion.

Usage

Commonly used with the verbs 'reach', 'return', or 'deliver'.
2 opinion or judgement (n.)
C1 Advanced Formal

your final opinion or decision about something after you have tried it or thought about it.

a subjective but definitive judgement or opinion expressed after a period of consideration or testing.

Example

What is your verdict on the new restaurant in town?

Example

The critics' final verdict on the film was surprisingly harsh, despite the director's previous successes in the same genre.

Teacher's tip

While this sense is formal, it is frequently used in a slightly playful or dramatic way in everyday conversation when asking for an opinion.

Origin

From Middle English verdit, from Anglo-Norman verdit (> Medieval Latin veredictum), from veir (“true”) + dit (“saying”); possibly a calque of a Germanic term such as Old English sōþword, sōþsprǣċ, sōþspell, sōþsagu, or sōþcwide, all meaning "true story, statement of truth, account, history". Doublet of veredictum.