vindicate

/ˈvɪn.dɪˌkeɪt/

//ˈvɪn.dɪˌkeɪt// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"vindicate" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“vindicate” is uncommon English (frequency #50,889 among 7,391 “V” headwords), classed as a verb. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#50,889
frequency rank, English
7,391
“V” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To clear of an accusation, suspicion or criticism.

Key facts for vindicate
PropertyValue
Headwordvindicate
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ˈvɪn.dɪˌkeɪt/
Letters9
Frequency rank#50,889
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “vindicate” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). vindicate lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

vindicate is uncommon English at frequency #50,889 among 7,391 “V” headwords, classed as averb, transcribed /ˈvɪn.dɪˌkeɪt/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 8 senses are on record.

Our edit-distance generator produced no likely misspellings for vindicate, suggesting the orthography follows predictable English patterns. It is not paired with a close-neighbour confusable in our dataset, since nothing in our dataset looks or sounds close enough to cause mix-ups.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from Latin vindicātus, perfect passive participle of vindicō (“lay legal claim to something; set free; protect, avenge, punish”), from vim, accusative singular of vīs (“force, power”), + dīcō (“say; declare, state”). See avenge. The correct English form is vindicate, spelled V-I-N-D-I-C-A-T-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To clear of an accusation, suspicion or criticism.
  2. 2
    To justify by providing evidence.
  3. 3
    To maintain or defend (a cause) against opposition.
  4. 4
    To be proven reasonable, correct, or justified.
  5. 5
    To provide justification for.
  6. 6
    To lay claim to; to assert a right to; to claim.
  7. 7
    To liberate; to set free; to deliver.
  8. 8
    To avenge; to punish.

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin vindicātus, perfect passive participle of vindicō (“lay legal claim to something; set free; protect, avenge, punish”), from vim, accusative singular of vīs (“force, power”), + dīcō (“say; declare, state”). See avenge.

This word in other languages

vindicar(Español)blanchir(Français)rechtfertigen(Deutsch)

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "vindicate"?
"vindicate" is spelled V-I-N-D-I-C-A-T-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈvɪn.dɪˌkeɪt/.
What does "vindicate" mean?
As a verb, "vindicate" means: To clear of an accusation, suspicion or criticism.
How do you pronounce "vindicate"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "vindicate" is /ˈvɪn.dɪˌkeɪt/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "vindicate"?
Borrowed from Latin vindicātus, perfect passive participle of vindicō (“lay legal claim to something; set free; protect, avenge, punish”), from vim, accusative singular of vīs (“force, power”), + dīcō (“say; declare, state”). See avenge. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “vindicate”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is V-I-N-D-I-C-A-T-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈvɪn.dɪˌkeɪt/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Other uncommon English words near this rank

Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list