adjudicate

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for August 7, 2025 is: adjudicate \uh-JOO-dih-kayt\ verb
To adjudicate a dispute between two parties is to make an official decision about which party is right; to adjudicate a case or claim is to settle it judicially. Adjudicate is also used to mean “to act as judge.”

// The case will be adjudicated in the state courts.

// The property title cannot be transferred until a case concerning the affected rights of way is adjudicated.

[See the entry >](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/adjudicate)

Examples:

“… [Pete] Rose’s candidacy won’t be adjudicated on the writers’ ballot. According to the Hall’s voting rules, players who are retired for more than 15 years are considered not by 400-plus writers but rather a smaller ‘era committee,’ comprised of a mixture of former players, executives, and media members.” — Scott Lauber, The Philadelphia Inquirer, 14 May 2025

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](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/judgment), [judicial](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/judicial), [prejudice](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prejudice), [jury](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jury), [justice](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/justice), [injury](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/injury), and [perjury](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/perjury). What’s the verdict? Latin “law” words frequently preside in English-speaking courtrooms.