To absolve someone means to formally declare them free from blame, guilt, or responsibility for something wrong. When a judge absolves a defendant, she's saying they're not guilty. When a priest absolves someone of their sins in confession, he's offering religious forgiveness.

The word carries a sense of official release, like when someone in authority lifts a burden of guilt or obligation. If your teacher absolves you from finishing an assignment because you were sick, she's freeing you from that duty. A parent might absolve a child who accidentally broke a vase, declaring them forgiven and the matter closed.

Absolve is stronger than simply excusing or overlooking something. It suggests a complete clearing of responsibility, as if the slate has been wiped clean. You might hear it in legal contexts (“The jury absolved him of all charges”), religious settings, or any situation where someone has the authority to officially declare another person free from blame.

Note that you usually can't absolve yourself: someone else with appropriate authority must absolve you.