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to absolve

to absolve

42 7.2
Make someone officially free from blame, guilt, or responsibility
  • verb
  • /æbˈzɑlv/
  • Formal
: absolver
  • I can only pray this be enough to absolve my stain of sin.
  • absolve someone of responsibility
  • absolve someone of blame
  • absolve someone of guilt

And if he wins, he wants to absolve his criminal cases.

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Examples

  • By the power of the apostles he has given me... I absolve you from all your sins... in the name of the Father and the Son... and the Holy Spirit.

  • And also, and also doing a good job doesn't absolve you of previous crimes.

  • And these same people, the same people want to absolve the Department of Education.

  • And I also absolve myself from them.

  • And if he wins, he wants to absolve his criminal cases.

  • Do you want me to absolve you of this sin?

  • I absolve you all of your sins.

  • It was only the beginning of what he felt he needed to do to absolve himself.

  • So for me, therapy, it didn't absolve me of my depression, but it got me to a point where I could help myself more.

  • Do you want me to absolve you of this sin?

Synonyms

to relieve
vsto absolve
131 3.2

Free someone from a duty or responsibility

centers on removing blame or guilt rather than easing duties
to let off
vsto absolve
123 3.5

To not punish someone or excuse them from a duty

is a formal declaration freeing from blame or guilt, not casual excuse
to acquit
vsto absolve
116 7.4

To say in court that someone is not guilty

is broader and applies beyond court rulings to general forgiveness
to exonerate
vsto absolve
  • Formal
77 8.2

To say officially that someone is not guilty of a crime

declares freedom from blame in legal or moral terms
to pardon
vsto absolve
  • Formal
69 3.9

To officially forgive someone for a crime and free them from punishment

declares freedom from blame or guilt rather than forgiving punishment
to exempt
vsto absolve
  • Formal
38 4.1

To free someone officially from a rule or obligation

focuses on blame and guilt rather than exemption from duties
to purge
vsto absolve
8 7.0

To clear someone of blame or guilt

is a formal claim of being free from blame or responsibility
to discharge
vsto absolve
  • Formal
6 7.2

Officially say that someone is not guilty of a crime

is used more generally for freeing from blame or responsibility
to free
vsto absolve
5 1.8

To excuse someone from a duty or rule

is a formal declaration freeing specifically from blame or guilt
to exculpate
vsto absolve
  • Formal
3 9.9

To say officially that someone is not guilty of a crime

focuses on freeing from blame generally, not only criminal charges
to shrive
vsto absolve
  • Archaic
1 9.9

To hear a person's confession and forgive their sins

is the secular or formal declaration of freedom from blame or guilt

Antonyms

∞ 1.6

To say that someone or something caused something bad

∞ 2.7

Say that someone did something wrong or illegal

How Forgiven

to absolve
  • Formal
42 7.2
to exonerate
  • Formal
77 8.2
to acquit
116 7.4
to pardon
  • Formal
69 3.9
to forgive
∞ 1.4

Surface Forms

absolve infinitive
absolved past
absolved past participle
absolving present participle
absolves third person singular

Morphology

absolve = solve (opaque) = ab + solve

The prefix 'ab-' usually means 'away from', but the meaning shift in 'absolve' to 'free from blame' is not directly derivable from 'solve'.

Etymology

Absolve comes from the Latin parts ab- 'away' and solvere 'to loosen', the same idea you see in solve and dissolve. So to absolve someone is to 'loosen away' their blame and free them from guilt.