declaration

American  

[dek-luh-rey-shuhn] / ˌdɛk ləˈreɪ ʃən /

noun

1. the act of declaring; announcement.

   a declaration of a dividend.

2. a positive, explicit, or formal statement; proclamation.

   a declaration of war.

3. something that is announced, avowed, or proclaimed.

4. a document embodying or displaying an announcement or proclamation.

   He posted the declaration in a public place.

   Synonyms:

   edict, manifesto, bulletin, notice

5. Law.

   1. a formal statement presenting the plaintiff's claim in an action.

   2. a complaint.

   3. a statement, especially by a witness.

   4. a statement made to an official.

6. Cards.

   1. Bridge. a bid, especially the successful bid.

   2. the statement during the game of the points earned by a player, in bezique or other games.

7. a statement of goods, income, etc., especially for the assessment of duty, tax, or the like.

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declaration British  

/ ˌdɛkləˈreɪʃən /

noun

1. an explicit or emphatic statement

2. a formal statement or announcement; proclamation

3. the act of declaring

4. the ruling of a judge or court on a question of law, esp in the chancery division of the High Court

5. law an unsworn statement of a witness admissible in evidence under certain conditions See also statutory declaration

6. cricket the voluntary closure of an innings before all ten wickets have fallen

7. contract bridge the final contract

8. a statement or inventory of goods, etc, submitted for tax assessment

   a customs declaration

9. cards an announcement of points made after taking a trick, as in bezique

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Other Word Forms

• counterdeclaration
  noun
• nondeclaration
  noun
• predeclaration
  noun
• redeclaration
  noun

Etymology

Origin of declaration

1300–50; Middle English declaracioun (< Anglo-French ) < Latin dēclārātiōn- (stem of dēclārātiō ) explanation, equivalent to dēclārāt ( us ) (past participle of dēclārāre to explain, declare; see -ate ¹) + -iōn- -ion

Explanation

An emphatic statement — either written or spoken — is called a declaration. The Continental Congress announced their intention to form a new nation when they wrote the Declaration of Independence. To declare is a verb, but when you add the suffix tion, you transform it to a noun. A formal public statement can be called a declaration. You would be making a formal declaration of your love, if you paid to have "I Love You, Alex" put on the big screen at the game. When you travel, you may need to make a declaration — a formal statement — about any taxable items you purchased outside the country when you return.

Example Sentences

“I am well aware of the seriousness of the allegations made against my son,” Vazquez wrote in his court declaration.

From Los Angeles Times • May 23, 2026

In a court declaration, Marco Vazquez acknowledged that he refused to let the officers, who were there to check on his son, into his home.

From Los Angeles Times • May 23, 2026

Putin and Xi will "exchange views on key international and regional issues" and sign a joint declaration at the conclusion of their talks, it added.

From Barron's • May 16, 2026

The payment did not appear on Farage's declaration of interests and only became public knowledge after being reported by the Guardian newspaper last month.

From BBC • May 15, 2026

If Hirohito’s spinning made us giggle, Vonetta’s declaration made everyone—except my sisters and me, and the still-dizzy Hirohito—full-out laugh.

From "One Crazy Summer" by Rita Williams-Garcia