Meanings
nounabsolution (countable and uncountable, plural absolutions)
plural absolutions
- countableuncountableecclesiasticalAn absolving of sins from ecclesiastical penalties by an authority.First known use First attested around 1150 to 1350.
- countableuncountableThe forgiveness of sins, in a general sense.First known use First attested around 1150 to 1350.
- countableuncountableAn absolving, or setting free from guilt, sin, or penalty; forgiveness of an offense.First known use First attested around 1350 to 1470.
Governments granting absolution to the nation.
1 more example
The true aim of medicine is not to make men virtuous; it is to safeguard and rescue them from the consequences of their vices. The physician does not preach repentance; he offers absolution.
1919 August, H. L. Mencken, The Smart Set, pages 60–1 - countableobsoleteuncountablecivil lawAn acquittal, or sentence of a judge declaring an accused person innocent.First known use First attested in the early 17ᵗʰ century.
Synonyms: acquittance, assoilment, compurgation, acquittance, acquitment, acquittal, assoilment, compurgation
- countableobsoleteuncountableDelivery, in speech.
the words are chosen , their sound ample , the composition full , the absolution plenteous
1641, Ben Jonson, Discoveries Made upon Men and Matter
Synonyms & antonyms
nounAn acquittal, or sentence of a judge declaring an accused person innocent.
More synonyms by meaning
nounthe act of absolving or remitting; formal redemption as pronounced by a priest in the sacrament of penance
Broader
Also see
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Latinabsolūtiōnem
- Old Frenchabsolution
- Middle Englishabsolucion
- Englishabsolution
From Middle English absolucion, absolucioun, from Old French absolution, from Latin absolūtiōnem, accusative singular of absolūtiō (“acquittal”), from absolvō (“absolve”). See also absolve.
More words from Middle English, Old French, Latin
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Arabic إِبْرَاء, غُفْرَان
- إِبْرَاء (ʔibrāʔ)absolving or setting free from guilt, sin or penalty; forgiveness of an offense
- غُفْرَان (ḡufrān)absolving or setting free from guilt, sin or penalty; forgiveness of an offense
- تَبْرِئَة (tabriʔa)acquittal, or sentence of a judge declaring an accused person innocent
Bulgarian опрощение, опрощение
- опрощение (oproštenie)absolving from ecclesiastical penalties
- опрощение (oproštenie)absolving or setting free from guilt, sin or penalty; forgiveness of an offense
- оправдаване (opravdavane)acquittal, or sentence of a judge declaring an accused person innocent
- освобождаване от отговорност (osvoboždavane ot otgovornost)acquittal, or sentence of a judge declaring an accused person innocent
Catalan absolució, absolució
- absolucióabsolving or setting free from guilt, sin or penalty; forgiveness of an offense
- absolucióexercise of priestly jurisdiction in the sacrament of penance, by which Catholics believe the sins of the truly penitent are forgiven
- absolucióacquittal, or sentence of a judge declaring an accused person innocent
Czech rozhřešení
- rozhřešeníabsolving or setting free from guilt, sin or penalty; forgiveness of an offense
Danish absolution
- absolutionabsolving or setting free from guilt, sin or penalty; forgiveness of an offense
Dutch absolutie, dispensatie
- absolutieabsolving from ecclesiastical penalties
- dispensatieabsolving from ecclesiastical penalties
- absolutieabsolving or setting free from guilt, sin or penalty; forgiveness of an offense
- vergiffenisabsolving or setting free from guilt, sin or penalty; forgiveness of an offense
- absolutieexercise of priestly jurisdiction in the sacrament of penance, by which Catholics believe the sins of the truly penitent are forgiven
- vrijspraakacquittal, or sentence of a judge declaring an accused person innocent
Esperanto absolvo
- absolvoabsolving or setting free from guilt, sin or penalty; forgiveness of an offense
Finnish anteeksianto, anteeksianto
- anteeksiantoabsolving from ecclesiastical penalties
- anteeksiantoabsolving or setting free from guilt, sin or penalty; forgiveness of an offense
- synninpäästöexercise of priestly jurisdiction in the sacrament of penance, by which Catholics believe the sins of the truly penitent are forgiven
- syyttömäksi julistaminenacquittal, or sentence of a judge declaring an accused person innocent
German Absolution, Absolution
- Absolutionabsolving or setting free from guilt, sin or penalty; forgiveness of an offense
- Absolutionexercise of priestly jurisdiction in the sacrament of penance, by which Catholics believe the sins of the truly penitent are forgiven
- Freispruchacquittal, or sentence of a judge declaring an accused person innocent
Greek άφεση, άφεση
- άφεση (áfesi)absolving from ecclesiastical penalties
- άφεση (áfesi)absolving or setting free from guilt, sin or penalty; forgiveness of an offense
Hungarian bűnbocsánat, bűnbocsánat
- bűnbocsánatabsolving or setting free from guilt, sin or penalty; forgiveness of an offense
- bűnbocsánatexercise of priestly jurisdiction in the sacrament of penance, by which Catholics believe the sins of the truly penitent are forgiven
Indonesian pengampunan, pembebasan
- pengampunanabsolving or setting free from guilt, sin or penalty; forgiveness of an offense
- pembebasanabsolving or setting free from guilt, sin or penalty; forgiveness of an offense
- absolusiexercise of priestly jurisdiction in the sacrament of penance, by which Catholics believe the sins of the truly penitent are forgiven
- absolusiacquittal, or sentence of a judge declaring an accused person innocent
- pengampunanacquittal, or sentence of a judge declaring an accused person innocent
Japanese 解放, 釈放
- 解放 (kaihō)absolving or setting free from guilt, sin or penalty; forgiveness of an offense
- 釈放 (shakuhō)acquittal, or sentence of a judge declaring an accused person innocent
Māori whakaharakoretanga
- whakaharakoretangaacquittal, or sentence of a judge declaring an accused person innocent
Norwegian Bokmål absolusjon, absolusjon
- absolusjonabsolving or setting free from guilt, sin or penalty; forgiveness of an offense
- absolusjonacquittal, or sentence of a judge declaring an accused person innocent
Polish rozgrzeszenie, absolucja
- rozgrzeszenieabsolving from ecclesiastical penalties
- absolucjaabsolving from ecclesiastical penalties
- absolucjaabsolving or setting free from guilt, sin or penalty; forgiveness of an offense
- rozgrzeszenieabsolving or setting free from guilt, sin or penalty; forgiveness of an offense
Portuguese absolvição, absolvição
- absolviçãoabsolving or setting free from guilt, sin or penalty; forgiveness of an offense
- absolviçãoacquittal, or sentence of a judge declaring an accused person innocent
Russian отпуще́ние, проще́ние
- отпуще́ниеabsolving from ecclesiastical penalties
- проще́ние (proščénije)absolving or setting free from guilt, sin or penalty; forgiveness of an offense
Scottish Gaelic saoradh, saoradh
- saoradhabsolving from ecclesiastical penalties
- saoradhabsolving or setting free from guilt, sin or penalty; forgiveness of an offense
- saoradhexercise of priestly jurisdiction in the sacrament of penance, by which Catholics believe the sins of the truly penitent are forgiven
- saoradhacquittal, or sentence of a judge declaring an accused person innocent
Spanish absolución, absolución
- absoluciónabsolving from ecclesiastical penalties
- absoluciónabsolving or setting free from guilt, sin or penalty; forgiveness of an offense
- absoluciónexercise of priestly jurisdiction in the sacrament of penance, by which Catholics believe the sins of the truly penitent are forgiven
- absoluciónacquittal, or sentence of a judge declaring an accused person innocent
Turkish bağışlama, yarlıgama
- bağışlamaabsolving from ecclesiastical penalties
- yarlıgamaabsolving from ecclesiastical penalties
- mağfiretabsolving from ecclesiastical penalties
- bağışlamaabsolving or setting free from guilt, sin or penalty; forgiveness of an offense
- mağfiretabsolving or setting free from guilt, sin or penalty; forgiveness of an offense
- yarlıgamaabsolving or setting free from guilt, sin or penalty; forgiveness of an offense
- itirafexercise of priestly jurisdiction in the sacrament of penance, by which Catholics believe the sins of the truly penitent are forgiven
- aklanmaacquittal, or sentence of a judge declaring an accused person innocent
- beraatacquittal, or sentence of a judge declaring an accused person innocent
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with absolution
solutiondistributionresolutionevolutioninstitutionexecutioncontributionconstitutionrevolutionpollutionprosecutionsubstitutionattributionpersecutiondissolutionprostitutiondilutionrestitutionretributionBelarusianconvolutionAleutianLuciandiminution
All rhymes →Anagrams
Cite this entry
APA
absolution. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/absolution
MLA
“absolution.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/absolution. Accessed November 2, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “absolution,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/absolution.
Source: absolution on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.