What does adjudicated mean?
Adjudicated is the past tense of adjudicate, a formal verb meaning to make an official judgment or decision about a dispute, claim, or case. It is used most often in legal and administrative settings, where a court, tribunal, or other authority weighs evidence and renders a binding ruling. The word also appears in the world of competitions, where panels of experts adjudicate performances or entries and decide rankings or prizes. Because it implies a formal, authoritative process rather than an informal agreement, adjudicated carries a tone of officialdom and finality: once a matter has been adjudicated, it has been settled by someone with the power to decide. The term derives from the Latin adjudicare, meaning to award or grant judicially, from ad- ('toward') and judicare ('to judge'), itself rooted in jus, law. Its relatives include judge, judicial, and prejudice, all tracing back to that same Latin notion of lawful judgment.
verbPast tense and past participle of adjudicate: to make a formal judgment or decision about a dispute or case, especially in a legal or official capacity.
- To make a formal legal judgment or ruling on a dispute or claim.
- To act as a judge or arbiter in a competition or contest.
"The boundary dispute was finally adjudicated by the International Court of Justice."
"The tribunal adjudicated the claims of both parties after months of hearings."
"The national piano competition was adjudicated by a panel of three renowned musicians."
Every time a judge settles a dispute, they're doing something the ancient Romans would recognise — adjudicating comes straight from their word for 'sworn judge.'
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of adjudicated
Adjudicated comes from the Latin adjudicare, formed from ad- ('toward') plus judicare ('to judge'), which derives from jus, meaning law or right. The verb entered English in the early modern period, with its noun adjudication attested from around the early 17th century. It shares its root with judge, judicial, prejudice, and injury, all descendants of Latin words built on the concept of law and judgment.
Related word forms
How adjudicated is actually used
Formal register, used chiefly in legal, administrative, and competitive contexts. In everyday speech, simpler words like 'settled' or 'decided' are more common.
Easily confused with adjudicated
Adulterated means made impure by adding inferior substances, while adjudicated means formally judged or settled by an authority.