To vindicate someone is to prove that they were right or not guilty after they were doubted or blamed.
From Latin “vindicare,” meaning “to claim, to set free, to avenge,” from “vindex,” meaning “claimant, protector.” Over time, the sense shifted from revenge and legal claims to clearing someone’s name.
When new evidence vindicates you, it doesn’t change what happened—it changes how people see what happened. Vindication is powerful because it repairs reputation, not just the facts.
Historically, women who reported harassment, assault, or discrimination often struggled to be believed, and their vindication came late or not at all. Public narratives have sometimes framed vindicated women as exceptions, reinforcing doubt toward others' claims.
Use "vindicate" neutrally for anyone whose claims or reputation are confirmed, and avoid implying that some groups (such as women) need higher burdens of proof to be vindicated.
["confirm","justify","clear (someone's name)","validate"]
Journalists, lawyers, and advocates—many of them women—have played key roles in vindicating wronged women and exposing systemic patterns rather than treating each case as an anomaly.
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