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No one will blame you for having questions about the origins of exculpatory. The adjective comes from a combination of the prefix ex-, meaning "out of" or "away from," and the Latin noun culpa, which means "blame" or "guilt." Something exculpatory, then, frees one from accusations. Culpa has given English a number of other words, including the verb exculpate ("to clear from alleged fault or guilt"). The related but lesser-known terms inculpate ("to incriminate") and inculpatory ("incriminating") are antonyms of exculpate and exculpatory. Culpable is a synonym of blameworthy, and mea culpa refers to a formal acknowledgment of personal fault or error.
Examples of exculpatory in a Sentence
Jenna Sundel, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 May 2025
His case was dismissed mid-trial after the judge found that the prosecution had withheld exculpatory evidence from the defense.
—Stephanie Giang-Paunon, FOXNews.com, 24 May 2025
The prosecution has an ethical obligation and duty to turn over everything that can be exculpatory, Marris said.
—Dalia Faheid, CNN, 5 Mar. 2025
Whenever potentially exculpatory information arose, it was often ignored.
—Gary Baum, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for exculpatory
Cite this Entry
“Exculpatory.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/exculpatory. Accessed 5 Jun. 2025.
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exculpatory
adjective
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