verb

adjudicate

uh-JOO-dih-kayt/əˈdʒuːdɪkeɪt/

To make an official judgment or decision about a dispute.

The official adjudicates the dispute after hearing from both sides.

A mediator acting as official adjudicator hears two disputing adults at a hearing table and carefully weighs their evidence, no writing.

Etymology

“To” plus “judge” underlies Latin “grant or award as a judge.” Adjudicate may have been formed from adjudication rather than directly from Latin, but retains the idea of an authoritative judicial decision.

In context

Matthieu Lavagna (apologète)49:22

mechanism to adjudicate who's right or who's wrong, no judge, we're all the judge in our own case

The PAPACY is TRUE ! (Interview with Joe Heschmeyer) @shamelesspopery

More examples

An independent panel adjudicates disputes between tenants and landlords.
The court adjudicated the competing claims to the property.
Both companies agree to let an arbitrator adjudicate their disagreement.

Forms

adjudicate · adjudicates · adjudicated · adjudicating

adjudication noun — The official resolution of a dispute.

adjudicator noun — A person authorized to decide disputes.

Similar words

arbitrate: Resolve a dispute as a neutral third party.
decide: Reach a conclusion, not necessarily in an official role.
rule: Give an authoritative decision, especially in a legal case.