What does acquitted mean?
"Acquitted" is the past tense and past participle of the verb "acquit," meaning to formally declare that someone is not guilty of a criminal charge. The verdict typically follows a trial in which a judge or jury finds the evidence insufficient to convict. The word carries strong legal weight: to be acquitted is to be officially cleared, though it does not necessarily imply innocence so much as a failure of proof. Beyond the courtroom, "acquit" has an older, more general sense of discharging a duty or settling a debt, which survives in the phrase "acquitted himself well" — meaning someone performed admirably in a difficult situation. The word traces back through Old French to Latin roots connected with settling and quieting obligations. Because acquittal is a formal judgment rather than a mere opinion, the term conveys authority and finality, making it essential vocabulary for understanding news coverage of trials and legal affairs.
verbPast tense and past participle of "acquit": to formally clear someone of a criminal charge or accusation, typically following a trial or legal proceeding.
- To declare someone not guilty of a criminal charge after a trial.
- (Archaic or formal) To discharge or free oneself from a debt, duty, or obligation.
"After a three-week trial, the jury acquitted her of all charges."
"The jury deliberated for two days before acquitting the defendant of manslaughter."
"In older usage, a debtor who repaid in full was said to have acquitted himself of the obligation."
Before it ever touched a courtroom, "acquit" was about paying off debts — the legal sense of being 'discharged' grew straight out of that idea of settling what you owe.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of acquitted
"Acquitted" derives from the Old French verb "aquiter," meaning to settle, release, or discharge, which itself developed from a Latin combination of "ad-" (to) and "quietare" (to set at rest). The word entered English in the medieval period, initially used for clearing or discharging debts and obligations before narrowing toward its dominant modern sense of clearing someone of a legal charge. It shares this root with words such as "quiet," "quit," "quite," and "requite."
Related word forms
How acquitted is actually used
"Acquitted" is primarily a formal, legal term used in judicial contexts; outside law it appears mostly in figurative phrases such as "acquitted himself well," meaning someone performed creditably under pressure. It is standard in both British and American English.
Easily confused with acquitted
"Acquired" means obtained or gained something, while "acquitted" means cleared of a charge or freed from an obligation.