Vindication

/ˌvɪndɪˈkeɪʃən/ noun

Definition

The act of proving that someone was right or that an accusation against them was false; clearing someone's name.

Etymology

From Latin 'vindicare' meaning 'to claim' or 'to avenge,' combined with the suffix '-tion' indicating an action or result.

Kelly Says

Vindication is psychologically powerful because our brains are wired to care about reputation—being proven right after being wrongly accused actually triggers reward centers, which is why it feels so satisfying.

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