proclaim

[ proh-kleym, pruh- ]

verb (used with object)

1. to announce or declare in an official or formal manner:

   to proclaim war.

   Synonyms: advertise

2. to announce or declare in an open or ostentatious way:

   to proclaim one's opinions.

   Synonyms: promulgate

3. to indicate or make known publicly or openly.
4. to extol or praise publicly:

   Let them proclaim the Lord.

5. to declare (a territory, district, etc.) subject to particular legal restrictions.
6. to declare to be an outlaw, evildoer, or the like.
7. to denounce or prohibit publicly.

verb (used without object)

1. to make a proclamation.

proclaim

/ prəˈklæmətərɪ; -trɪ; ˌprɒkləˈmeɪʃən; prəˈkleɪm /

verb

1. may take a clause as object to announce publicly
2. may take a clause as object to show or indicate plainly
3. to praise or extol

Derived Forms

• proclamation, noun
• proclamatory, adjective
• proˈclaimer, noun

Other Words From

• pro·claimer noun
• repro·claim verb (used with object)
• self-pro·claimed adjective
• self-pro·claiming adjective
• unpro·claimed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of proclaim¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin prōclāmāre “to cry out”; equivalent to pro- ¹ + claim

Word History and Origins

Origin of proclaim¹

C14: from Latin prōclāmāre to shout aloud

Synonym Study

See announce.

Example Sentences

Donning his signature Stetson hat, Bruce Boyer proclaims himself to be a cowboy, a businessman, a perennial political candidate and a dancer.

From Los Angeles Times

No wonder the players opted out of the current CBA, with the Women’s National Basketball Players Assn. stating its position succinctly with a video to X that proclaimed, “It’s business. We’re out.”

From Los Angeles Times

Conor McGregor proclaimed to his millions of social media followers on Tuesday, while retailers pulled products linked to him from shelves, murals of him were erased and brands announced they had cut ties.

From BBC

They recall how Kennedy visited Trump Tower shortly before Inauguration Day in 2017 and proclaimed that Trump would make him chair of a commission on vaccine safety and scientific integrity.

From Los Angeles Times

“He proclaimed that I wasn’t allowed to come on his side of the tape, and he wasn’t allowed to come on my side.”

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• affirm
• announce
• declare
• demonstrate
• indicate
• profess
• publish
• trumpet