avow

American  

[uh-vou] / əˈvaʊ /

verb (used with object)

1. to declare frankly or openly; assert; confess; admit.

   He avowed himself an opponent of all alliances.

   Synonyms:

   profess, own, declare, affirm, acknowledge

   Antonyms:

   repudiate, disavow, deny

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avow British  

/ əˈvaʊd, əˈvaʊ, əˈvaʊɪdlɪ /

verb

1. to state or affirm

2. to admit openly

3. rare law to justify or maintain (some action taken)

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Other Word Forms

• avowable adjective
• avowal noun
• avowed adjective
• avowedly adverb
• avower noun
• reavow verb (used with object)
• unavowable adjective
• unavowableness noun
• unavowably adverb

Etymology

Origin of avow

First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English avowen, from Old French avoue(r), from Latin advocāre; advocate

Example Sentences

As if to emphasize his status, he is an avowed metalhead, occasionally recommending tunes such as “I Am Hated” by Slipknot.

From The Wall Street Journal

Democrat Zohran Mamdani, an avowed socialist, was elected mayor of New York last month after making a similar pitch to voters.

From The Wall Street Journal

And then there’s politics, stirred by the presence of Molly, an avowed Irish nationalist.

From The Wall Street Journal

ExxonMobil contends that the legislative history shows that the bills seek to “place disproportionate blame on companies like ExxonMobil for being large and for the avowed purpose of spurring public opprobrium,” according to the lawsuit.

From Los Angeles Times

An avowed Kolkata evangelist, he wanted to paint the dome and raised the money for it from friends and associates.

From BBC