exculpatory

adjective: 1. tending to clear from a charge of fault or guilt. 2. tending or serving to exculpate. Related Words: defensible, explainable, fair, forgivable, justifiable, minor, moderate, okay, pardonable, passable, permissible, plausible, reasonable, slight, specious, temperate, tenable, trivial, understandable, venial. Origin: First recorded in 1770–80; exculpate + -ory1. May be confused: exculpatory, inculpatory. Source 1, Source 2.