Dictionary

adjudicate en · VERB

Pronunciation

• audio Queensland
• /əˈd͡ʒuː.dɪ.keɪt/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• /əˈd͡ʒʉː.dɪ.kæɪt/ (Australia)
• /əˈd͡ʒu.dɪˌkeɪt/ (Canada, General-American)

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin adiūdicō, adiūdicātus, from ad + iūdicō (“to judge”). Doublet of adjudge.

Meanings

1. (transitive) To decide, rule on, or settle as a judge.
   • A report for the city's finance and corporate services committee recommends the city implement an administrative penalty system for adjudicating parking and camera-based offences, with municipally appointed screening and hearing officers adjudicating ticket disputes instead of the provincial court system. 2024 April 29, Josh Pringle, “Ottawa looks to move photo radar and red light camera tickets out of provincial courts”, in CTV News, archived from the original on 23 Jul 2025:
   • Blinded to the outcomes of HPV testing, samples were thereafter evaluated by cytoscreeners using FocalPoint GS Imaging System (BD), and abnormal findings were adjudicated by pathologists. 2016 January 21, Matejka Rebolj, et al., “Human Papillomavirus Assays and Cytology in Primary Cervical Screening of Women Aged 30 Years and Above”, in PLOS ONE, →DOI, archived from the original on 12 Jul 2023:
   • The Union Home Ministry has constituted four tribunals […] to adjudicate whether or not there are sufficient grounds for declaring several Jammu and Kashmir-based groups as banned organisations […] 2024 April 7, PTI, “Tribunals formed to adjudicate if sufficient grounds available to declare J-K groups as banned”, in Deccan Herald, archived from the original on 05 May 2024:
   • In North Carolina, provisional ballots are adjudicated to determine whether the voter was eligible to cast the ballot. 2020 November 5, Devan Cole, “Here’s what to know about ballot adjudication”, in CNN, archived from the original on 08 Dec 2022:
   • From the twelfth century Shetland had been administered directly by the Norwegian crown through the 'foud', rather than forming part of the patrimony of a great aristocratic estate. The foud appointed 'underfouds' and the Shetlands evolved their own elected officers, a 'lawman' and parish 'lawrightmen', who adjudicated and negotiated the collection of customary taxes and fines on behalf of the local population. 1983, Paul Thompson, Tony Wailey, Trevor Lummis, History Workshop Series, Living the Fishing, Routledge & Kegan Paul:
   • The general counsel, Jennifer Abruzzo, who enforces federal labor law by prosecuting violations, said her office would soon file a brief in a case before the labor board, which adjudicates such questions, asking the board to reverse its precedent on the meetings. 2022 April 7, Noam Scheiber, “N.L.R.B. counsel calls for a ban on mandatory anti-union meetings.”, in The New York Times, archived from the original on 01 Jun 2022:
2. (followed by on, intransitive, often) To act as a judge.
   • A Court of Arbitration, constituted by the World Bank in The Hague, has brushed aside New Delhi’s objections and concluded that it has the competence to adjudicate on Pakistan’s objection to the Kishenganga and Ralte hydroelectric projects of India. 2023 July 7, Anirban Bhaumik, “Court of Arbitration concludes it can adjudicate on Pakistan’s objection to India’s hydel projects, New Delhi rejects ruling”, in Deccan Herald, archived from the original on 05 May 2024:
3. (as of a debtor's estate, qualifier:Scots law, transitive) To seize or convey as security.

Forms

Deriveds

readjudicate · adjudicator · adjudicatory · adjudication · unadjudicated · adjudicative

Hypernyms

choose · solve · sit in judgement

Hyponyms

award · acquit · convict · sentence

Relateds

abjudicate · adjudge · decide

Synonyms

settle · arbitrate · judge · judge · hear · adjudicate · try · rule on · arbitrate · adjudicate · deem · resolve · settle · decide · adjudge · judge · try · sit in judgement · doom

Translations (42)

es adjudicar (to settle a legal case or other dispute) · de entscheiden (to settle a legal case or other dispute) · pl orzec (to settle a legal case or other dispute) · ms menghakimi (to settle a legal case or other dispute) · cmn 判決 /判决 (to act as a judge) · pl rozstrzygać (to act as a judge) · de richten (to settle a legal case or other dispute) · pl zasądzać (to settle a legal case or other dispute) · bg присъждам (to act as a judge) · ca jutjar (to settle a legal case or other dispute) · no dømme (to settle a legal case or other dispute) · ru суди́ть (to settle a legal case or other dispute) · de urteilen (to settle a legal case or other dispute) · fi tuomita (to act as a judge) · id mengadili (to settle a legal case or other dispute) · fr trancher (to settle a legal case or other dispute) · de richten (to act as a judge) · hy վճռել (to settle a legal case or other dispute) · no dømme (to act as a judge) · hu ítéletet hoz (to settle a legal case or other dispute) · no pådømme (to settle a legal case or other dispute) · fr juger (to settle a legal case or other dispute) · pl orzekać (to settle a legal case or other dispute) · fi tuomita (to settle a legal case or other dispute) · fi ratkaista (to settle a legal case or other dispute) · sv döma (to settle a legal case or other dispute) · hu határozatot hoz (to settle a legal case or other dispute) · hy դատավարել (to act as a judge) · pl rozstrzygnąć (to act as a judge) · pl sądzić (to settle a legal case or other dispute) · bg решавам дело (to act as a judge) · bg отсъждам (to settle a legal case or other dispute) · no bedømme (to settle a legal case or other dispute) · ca adjudicar (to settle a legal case or other dispute) · cs rozsoudit (to settle a legal case or other dispute) · ru выноси́ть реше́ние (to settle a legal case or other dispute) · ca jutjar (to act as a judge) · cmn 裁決 /裁决 (to settle a legal case or other dispute) · ga breithnigh (to settle a legal case or other dispute) · hy դատել (to settle a legal case or other dispute) · nl berechten (to settle a legal case or other dispute) · pl zasądzić (to settle a legal case or other dispute)