"Exonerar" is a transitive verb in Spanish that means to clear someone from blame or responsibility for a fault or wrongdoing. It is commonly used in legal contexts, often describing the act of absolving someone from charges or conviction. The word has a formal tone, making it more frequent in written language, particularly in legal texts, academic writing, and formal statements, rather than in everyday oral speech.
The court decided to exonerate the defendant due to lack of evidence.
El informe final exoneró a los funcionarios de cualquier culpabilidad.
The final report exonerated the officials from any wrongdoing.
Su buen comportamiento durante el juicio logró exonerar su pasado delictivo.
While "exonerar" itself is not a common component of idiomatic expressions, it relates to several phrases involving legal and ethical contexts. Below are some expressions where "exonerar" has been key:
"The witness was exonerated from blame after confirming his version of events."
"Exonerar de responsabilidad"
"The company cannot exonerate its employees from responsibility in the event of negligence."
"Exonerar a alguien de una acusación"
The word "exonerar" originates from the Latin term "exonerare," which means "to unburden" or "to relieve." It is composed of "ex-" meaning "out of" and "onerare," which derives from "onus" (burden).