exonerate vs vindicate

exonerate and vindicate both are verbs.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
exonerate	No	No	Yes	No
vindicate	No	No	Yes	No

As verbs, vindicate is a hyponym of exonerate; that is, vindicate is a word with a more specific, narrower meaning than exonerate:

exonerate: pronounce not guilty of criminal charges
vindicate: clear of accusation, blame, suspicion, or doubt with supporting proof

Other hyponyms of exonerate include whitewash, purge.

exonerate (verb)	vindicate (verb)
pronounce not guilty of criminal charges	show to be right by providing justification or proof
	clear of accusation, blame, suspicion, or doubt with supporting proof
	maintain, uphold, or defend