Exculpate vs. Exonerate — What's the Difference?

Show or declare that (someone) is not guilty of wrongdoing

(of an official body) absolve (someone) from blame for a fault or wrongdoing

To clear of guilt or blame.

Release someone from (a duty or obligation)

To clear of or to free from guilt; exonerate.

To free from blame.

To clear from alleged fault or guilt; to prove to be guiltless; to relieve of blame; to acquit.

To free from a responsibility, obligation, or task.

Pronounce not guilty of criminal charges;

To relieve (someone or something) of a load; to unburden (a load).

Of a body of water: to discharge or empty (itself).

(transitive) To free (someone) from an obligation, responsibility or task.

(transitive) To free (someone) from accusation or blame.

(archaic) Freed from an obligation; freed from accusation or blame; acquitted, exonerated.

To unload; to disburden; to discharge.

To relieve, in a moral sense, as of a charge, obligation, or load of blame resting on one; to clear of something that lies upon oppresses one, as an accusation or imputation; as, to exonerate one's self from blame, or from the charge of avarice.

To discharge from duty or obligation, as a bail.

Pronounce not guilty of criminal charges;