vindication

/vɪndɪˈkeɪʃɪn/

/vɪndɪˈkeɪʃən/

Other forms: vindications

Vindication is a sweet thing — when you get vindication, you've been proven right or justified in doing something. Everyone accused of a crime craves vindication.

Vindication is good, but it can only come after something bad, like being accused of something you didn't do. If a teacher thought you cheated, but then announced to the whole class that you didn't, you're getting vindication. An accused criminal who is exonerated — cleared of the crime — gets vindication. If you believe something crazy — like that your underdog sports team could win a championship — and it comes true, that's a vindication of your beliefs.

Definitions of vindication

1. noun

   the act of vindicating or defending against criticism or censure etc.
   “friends provided a vindication of his position”

   synonyms: exoneration

   types:

   justification

   the act of defending or explaining or making excuses for by reasoning

   rehabilitation

   vindication of a person's character and the re-establishment of that person's reputation

   type of:

   clearing

   the act of freeing from suspicion
2. noun

   the justification for some act or belief
   synonyms: defence, defense

   types:

   apologia, apology

   a formal written defense of something you believe in strongly

   alibi

   (law) a defense by an accused person purporting to show that he or she could not have committed the crime in question

   alibi, exculpation, excuse, self-justification

   a defense of some offensive behavior or some failure to keep a promise etc.

   extenuation, mitigation

   a partial excuse to mitigate censure; an attempt to represent an offense as less serious than it appears by showing mitigating circumstances

   type of:

   justification

   a statement in explanation of some action or belief