Synonyms

condemned

American

[kuhn-demd] / kənˈdɛmd /

adjective

pronounced guilty; sentenced to punishment, especially capital punishment.

A condemned man has the right to know how the execution will proceed.
deemed or declared unfit for use or service.

One of the condemned buildings is going to be demolished to make room for luxury apartments.
viewed or spoken of with strong disapproval; judged as wrong or unacceptable, often formally.

Apartheid, by universal agreement, is an inhumane, unjust, and condemned practice.
doomed to eternal punishment in hell; damned.

At the Last Judgment, condemned sinners will offer excuses in vain.

noun

Usually the condemned
1. the person or persons pronounced guilty in a court of law and sentenced to punishment, especially capital punishment.
  
  We join in prayer for the condemned, his victim, and their families.
2. the damned.
  
  The condemned are those who are full of themselves and laugh at their unrighteousness.

verb

the simple past tense and past participle of condemn.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Etymology

Origin of condemned

condemn ( def. ) + -ed ² ( def. )

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.

The family later condemned the disorder, with Hampshire and Isle of Wight Police and Crime Commissioner Donna Jones saying they had told her they did not support protests or unrest.

From BBC • Jun. 6, 2026

Neighbors and allies, including the U.S., condemned the attacks but there has so far been no military response by the U.S. or Kuwait.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 4, 2026

Meng has responded to criticism of this vote, noting that thanking ICE was not the only provision in the resolution, which condemned the attack on Jewish community members in Boulder, Colorado, on June 1, 2025.

From Salon • Jun. 4, 2026

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres -- who on Tuesday condemned Russian strikes on Ukraine -- will speak at a panel on the environment on Friday.

From Barron's • Jun. 3, 2026

The condemned man didn't come any closer, and I didn't know what else to do, so I walked over and offered him my hand.

From "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023