condemnation
Americannoun
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the act of condemning.
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the state of being condemned.
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strong censure; disapprobation; reproof.
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a cause or reason for condemning.
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U.S. Law. the seizure, as of property, for public use.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of condemnation
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English condempnacioun, from Middle French, from Late Latin condemnātiōn-, stem of condemnātiō; equivalent to condemn + -ation
Explanation
Condemnation is the act of declaring something awful or evil. If your little brother does something unspeakably awful, express your condemnation so he will learn not to do it again. Condemnation comes from the verb condemn, "to strongly disapprove." You might criticize something that you still think is worthwhile, but if you express condemnation, that’s laying a heavy moral blame. Condemnation is used in law, and means the same thing as sentencing; you might have heard a judge say “I condemn you to ten years of hard labor.” Also, a very dangerous building will be sealed up and deemed uninhabitable by an act of condemnation.
Vocabulary lists containing condemnation
Fahrenheit 451
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The Crucible
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"Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" by Jonathan Edwards
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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.
She said: "I record my condemnation of selfish drivers who park illegally simply for the sake of having to avoid walking a short distance."
From BBC • Jun. 3, 2026
It has sparked condemnation from small business groups and investors who accuse Canberra of penalising wealth creators.
From Barron's • Jun. 1, 2026
News of Rivera's death was met by condemnation.
From BBC • May 31, 2026
It would allow for condemnation of vessels not on any sanctions list, as well as neutral vessels trying to break the blockade.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 15, 2026
Instead, he remained offstage, leaving the campaign of condemnation to Karl Compton, who was serving as scientific advisor to the occupation forces and publicly labeled the cyclotron destruction “an act of utter stupidity.”
From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik
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.
