Adjudicate
verb /əˈdʒuːdɪkeɪt/ — To make an official judgement in a dispute.
Definition
To make a formal judgment or decision about a problem or disputed matter — especially to act as a judge in a competition or dispute.
Beyond the definition
To adjudicate is to be the person who decides. The authority required is enormous; the responsibility correspondingly heavy. A good adjudicator is not just impartial but seen to be impartial — the legitimacy of the decision depends as much on the process as on the outcome.
Origin & history
From Latin adjudicare (to adjudge), from ad- (to) + judicare (to judge), from judex (judge). To judge toward a conclusion — the act of bringing judicial authority to bear on a disputed matter.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
The panel was asked to adjudicate the dispute between the two companies.
She had been adjudicating music competitions for thirty years.
The question of who owns the copyright will be adjudicated in the courts.
How to use it
This entry uses a verb. Follow the examples for tense and any objects or prepositions it needs.
Choose “Adjudicate” when the meaning fits your context: To make a formal judgment or decision about a problem or disputed matter — especially to act as a judge in a competition or dispute.
Synonyms
judge, arbitrate, decide, determine
Related words
Word in the Wild
See how this word appears in life, language and stories.
Illustrative sentences and imagined stories for learning — not verified sightings, interviews, or sourced quotations.
Fictional scene
Leader Reviewing Model Carefully
A team leader reviews a model with colleagues at a table, their posture composed and their actions careful and deliberate.
The act of reviewing the architectural model and making a consequential decision is an act of adjudication. The leader acts as a judge of the situation, weighing the evidence of the geometric diagrams to make a formal, considered judgment on the problem.
Image credit: Wordspun · AI-generated conceptual illustration
Questions about this word
What does "Adjudicate" mean?
Adjudicate is verb meaning: To make an official judgement in a dispute.. To make a formal judgment or decision about a problem or disputed matter — especially to act as a judge in a competition or dispute.
Where does the word "Adjudicate" come from?
From Latin adjudicare (to adjudge), from ad- (to) + judicare (to judge), from judex (judge). To judge toward a conclusion — the act of bringing judicial authority to bear on a disputed matter.