| vindicate | (verb) show to be right by providing justification or proof | Synonyms: justify |
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| (verb) clear of accusation, blame, suspicion, or doubt with supporting proof | - |
| (verb) maintain, uphold, or defend | - |
| vindicated | (adjective) freed from any question of guilt | Synonyms: absolved, clear, cleared, exculpated, exonerated |
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| vindication | (noun) the act of vindicating or defending against criticism or censure etc. | Synonyms: exoneration |
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| (noun) the justification for some act or belief | Synonyms: defence, defense |
| vindicator | (noun) a person who argues to defend or justify some policy or institution | Synonyms: apologist, justifier |
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| vindicatory | (adjective) providing justification | Synonyms: justificative, justificatory |
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| (adjective) given or inflicted in requital according to merits or deserts | Synonyms: retributive, retributory |
| (adjective) of or relating to or having the nature of retribution | Synonyms: retaliative, retaliatory, retributive, retributory |
| vindictive | (adjective) showing malicious ill will and a desire to hurt; motivated by spite | Synonyms: despiteful, spiteful |
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| (adjective) disposed to seek revenge or intended for revenge | Synonyms: revengeful, vengeful |
| vindictively | (adverb) in a vindictive, revengeful manner | Synonyms: revengefully, vengefully |
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| vindictiveness | (noun) a malevolent desire for revenge | Synonyms: vengefulness |
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