adjudicate

verb

ad·​ju·​di·​cate ə-ˈjü-di-ˌkāt 

adjudicated; adjudicating

transitive verb

: to make an official decision about who is right in (a dispute) : to settle judicially

The school board will adjudicate claims made against teachers.

intransitive verb

: to act as judge

The court can adjudicate on this dispute.

adjudicative

ə-ˈjü-di-ˌkā-tiv 

-kə-

adjective

adjudicator

ə-ˈjü-di-ˌkā-tər 

noun

adjudicatory

ə-ˈjü-di-kə-ˌtȯr-ē 

adjective

Did you know?

Adjudicate, which is usually used to mean "to make an official decision about who is right in a dispute," is one of several terms that give testimony to the influence of jus, the Latin word for "law," on our legal language. Others include judgment, judicial, prejudice, jury, justice, injury, and perjury. What's the verdict? Latin "law" words frequently preside in English-speaking courtrooms.

Synonyms

• adjudge
• arbitrate
• decide
• determine
• judge
• referee
• rule (on)
• settle
• umpire

Examples of adjudicate in a Sentence

The board will adjudicate claims made against teachers.

The case was adjudicated in the state courts.

The board will adjudicate when claims are made against teachers.

Recent Examples on the Web

At lunch, things become fraught between Shep and Taylor because Taylor is trying to adjudicate the fallout of her relationship with Shep through his new relationship with Sienna. —Brian Moylan, Vulture, 13 Feb. 2025

He was found not guilty on seven other charges as well, but the jury has not finished adjudicating ... —Jeffrey Blehar, National Review, 13 Feb. 2025

But the ones that have already been adjudicated, every single executive order has been halted at the moment by an order. —CBS News, 9 Feb. 2025

Doubts about the strength of the conclusions drawn from China’s research add to the mounting questions about how the positive tests were investigated and adjudicated. —Tariq Panja, New York Times, 24 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Latin adjūdicātus, past participle of adjūdicāre "to adjudge"

First Known Use

circa 1695, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

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Kids Definition

adjudicate

verb

ad·​ju·​di·​cate ə-ˈjüd-i-ˌkāt 

adjudicated; adjudicating

: to decide, award, or sentence judicially

adjudicate a claim

adjudication

-ˌjüd-i-ˈkā-shən

noun

Legal Definition

adjudicate

verb

ad·​ju·​di·​cate ə-ˈjü-di-ˌkāt 

adjudicated; adjudicating

transitive verb

1

: to settle either finally or temporarily (the rights and duties of the parties to a judicial or quasi-judicial proceeding) on the merits of the issues raised

2

: to pass judgment on as a judge : settle judicially

3

: to pronounce judicially to be

was adjudicated a bankrupt

was adjudicated the child's father

4

: to convey by judicial sale

intransitive verb

: to come to a judicial decision : act as judge

the court adjudicated upon the case

adjudication

ə-ˌjü-di-ˈkā-shən 

noun

adjudicative

ə-ˈjü-di-ˌkā-tiv, -kə-

noun

adjudicator

-ˌkā-tər 

noun

Etymology

Latin adjudicare to award in judgment, from ad to, for + judicare to judge see judge