denounce

[dih-nouns]

verb (used with object)

denounced, denouncing 

1. to condemn or censure openly or publicly.

   to denounce a politician as morally corrupt.

   Synonyms: brand, blame, stigmatize, attack
   Antonyms: commend, praise

2. to make a formal accusation against, as to the police or in a court.

3. to give formal notice of the termination or denial of (a treaty, pact, agreement, or the like).

4. Archaic.,  to announce or proclaim, especially as something evil or calamitous.

5. Obsolete.,  to portend.

denounce

/ dɪˈnaʊns /

verb

1. to deplore or condemn openly or vehemently

2. to give information against; accuse

3. to announce formally the termination of (a treaty, etc)

4. obsolete

   1. to announce (something evil)

   2. to portend

Other Word Forms

• denouncement noun
• denouncer noun
• undenounced adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of denounce¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English denouncen, from Old French denoncier “to speak out,” from Latin dēnuntiāre “to threaten,” literally, “to announce from,” from dē- de- + nuntiāre “to announce” (derivative of nuntius “messenger”)

Word History and Origins

Origin of denounce¹

C13: from Old French denoncier to proclaim, from Latin dēnuntiāre to make an official proclamation, threaten, from _de- + nuntiāre to announce

Example Sentences

Critics have denounced the strikes — which are among the most militaristic moves in Washington’s decades-long “War on Drugs” — as extra-judicial executions.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

"We believe that this decision does not live up to the issues we were denouncing, namely misleading commercial practices."

Read more on Barron's

She was declared the winner of October's presidential poll with 98% of the vote, but the opposition - which was barred from contesting - denounced the election as a "mockery of democracy".

Read more on BBC

Exiled opposition leader and former prime minister Cellou Dalein Diallo on Sunday strongly condemned "this practice of targeting the families of those who, from abroad, denounce and fight against the authoritarian excesses of the junta".

Read more on Barron's

Czechs and Slovaks will rally in both countries Monday, the anniversary of the 1989 Velvet Revolution that toppled communism in former Czechoslovakia, to denounce the leaders they say have betrayed its legacy.

Read more on Barron's

Related Words

• accuse 
• blame 
• boycott 
• brand 
• castigate 
• censure 
• criticize 
• decry 
• excoriate 
• prosecute 
• rebuke 
• revile 
• scold 
• threaten 
• vilify