denounce
Americanverb (used with object)
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to condemn or censure openly or publicly.
to denounce a politician as morally corrupt.
- Synonyms:
- brand, blame, stigmatize, attack
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to make a formal accusation against, as to the police or in a court.
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to give formal notice of the termination or denial of (a treaty, pact, agreement, or the like).
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Archaic. to announce or proclaim, especially as something evil or calamitous.
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Obsolete. to portend.
verb
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to deplore or condemn openly or vehemently
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to give information against; accuse
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to announce formally the termination of (a treaty, etc)
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obsolete
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to announce (something evil)
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to portend
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Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Conjugated Forms
Present
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have denouncedperfect
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has denouncedperfect 3rd person singular
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is denouncingprogressive 3rd person singular
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am denouncingprogressive 1st person singular
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denouncingparticiple
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have been denouncingperfect progressive
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denouncessingular 3rd person
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has been denouncingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
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are denouncingprogressive
Past
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had denouncedperfect
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were denouncingprogressive plural
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denouncedparticiple
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denouncedsimple
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had been denouncingperfect progressive
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was denouncingprogressive singular
Future
Etymology
Origin of denounce
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English denouncen, from Old French denoncier “to speak out,” from Latin dēnuntiāre “to threaten,” literally, “to announce from,” from dē- de- + nuntiāre “to announce” (derivative of nuntius “messenger”)
Explanation
To denounce is to tattle, rat out, or speak out against something. When you stand on your desk and tell the class that your partner is cheating, you denounce him or her. The prefix de- means "down," as in destroy or demolish (tear down). Add that to the Latin root nuntiare, meaning "announce," and de- plus announce equals denounce. It's a word that shows up in the headlines often, as a country might denounce a corrupt election. Politicians love to denounce the shady behavior or their opponents. Denounce can also mean the official end of something, like a treaty.
Vocabulary lists containing denounce
Grade 9, List 4
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100 SAT Words Beginning with "D"
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Persepolis
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"Catholic Church: Silence is Violence! Denounce bullfighting," read a banner held up by the activists near the ancient Roman Castel Sant'Angelo fortress on the banks of the River Tiber, in view of St Peter's Basilica.
From Reuters • Jul. 28, 2023
They also interviewed the founders and early members of the We Will Denounce group whose posts helped spark the investigation.
From Washington Times • Jul. 13, 2020
"Denounce it yourself. Do it for them. This too saves lives," she says.
From BBC • Apr. 12, 2020
Denounce the secretary of homeland security at a Mexican restaurant.
From Washington Post • Jun. 29, 2018
Denounce me, then, if you wish," retorted Dick in cool contempt, "and you'll bring trouble down on your own head instead.
From Dick Prescotts's Fourth Year at West Point Ready to Drop the Gray for Shoulder Straps by Hancock, H. Irving (Harrie Irving)
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
