denounce
Americanverb (used with object)
-
denounces,
present (3rd person singular)
-
denounced,
past participle, past
-
denouncing
present participle
-
to condemn or censure openly or publicly.
to denounce a politician as morally corrupt.
- Synonyms:
- brand, blame, stigmatize, attack
-
to make a formal accusation against, as to the police or in a court.
-
to give formal notice of the termination or denial of (a treaty, pact, agreement, or the like).
-
Archaic. to announce or proclaim, especially as something evil or calamitous.
-
Obsolete. to portend.
verb
-
to deplore or condemn openly or vehemently
-
to give information against; accuse
-
to announce formally the termination of (a treaty, etc)
-
obsolete
-
to announce (something evil)
-
to portend
-
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
denouncesimple
-
denouncessimple
-
have denouncedperfect
-
has denouncedperfect
-
am denouncingprogressive
-
are denouncingprogressive
-
is denouncingprogressive
-
have been denouncingperfect progressive
-
has been denouncingperfect progressive
Past
-
denouncedsimple
-
had denouncedperfect
-
was denouncingprogressive
-
were denouncingprogressive
-
had been denouncingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of denounce
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”)
Explanation
To denounce is to tattle, rat out, or speak out against something. When you stand on your desk and tell the class that your partner is cheating, you denounce him or her. The prefix de- means "down," as in destroy or demolish (tear down). Add that to the Latin root nuntiare, meaning "announce," and de- plus announce equals denounce. It's a word that shows up in the headlines often, as a country might denounce a corrupt election. Politicians love to denounce the shady behavior or their opponents. Denounce can also mean the official end of something, like a treaty.
Vocabulary lists containing denounce
Grade 9, List 4
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
100 SAT Words Beginning with "D"
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Persepolis
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
See Examples For:
“There are no immediate eligibility matters affecting the WNBA, and we strongly denounce the bad-faith efforts to use these topics to demean or marginalize others,” a league spokesperson said last week in a statement.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 19, 2026
"We denounce and totally reject those claims that Africans are as guilty and complicit as those who masterminded this whole atrocity," he says.
From BBC ● Aug. 16, 2026
Following the Banyuetan report, other state media rushed to denounce insider leaks and demand a crackdown—such as by strengthening censorship algorithms and issuing stern punishments.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 10, 2026
It invited comparisons with Enoch Powell’s infamous “rivers of blood” speech, and went down so badly that he had to publicly denounce his own words some time later.
From Slate ● Jun. 23, 2026
There’s nothing to affirm a tribal identity, or consolidate power around a leader, like having an Other to denounce.
From "Words Like Loaded Pistols" by Sam Leith
It denounces the judge’s “attempts to strip RIH of its ability to participate in these proceedings, and, by extension, to sever this court from the party whose rights are directly at stake.”
From Slate ● May 19, 2026
The government denounces attempts to "discredit" Smart Sampa, boasting the city had seen a nearly 15 percent drop in robberies in 2025.
From Barron's ● Mar. 17, 2026
Even Puerto Ricans who don't share the singer's background feel proud of how his music denounces our struggles while symbolising our culture and identity.
From BBC ● Feb. 10, 2026
He used to present as a staid mainline Episcopalian, but now he denounces that church and speaks of being “mauled by demons.”
From Salon ● May 19, 2025
Indeed, one of the books found in the bus with his remains was a collection of stories that included Tolstoy’s "The Kreutzer Sonata,” in which the nobleman-turned-ascetic denounces "the demands of the flesh.”
From "Into the Wild" by Jon Krakauer
After a week in which countless female athletes denounced a controversial sports betting company advertisement featuring actress Sydney Sweeney, Ohanian said he wanted Friday's event to put the attention back on the "actual athletes".
From BBC ● Sep. 18, 2026
The paper was denounced on social media within minutes of release, and Mr. Fryer needed armed protection for more than a month.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 7, 2026
Coaches from all levels of football denounced what they saw as a flagrantly corrupt talent grab.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 6, 2026
El-Sayed has denounced the statement as “stupid,” and Piker has walked back his words.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 3, 2026
Born in Polish-Ukrainian Galicia, Rabi was the levelheaded physicist who had tartly denounced Strauss’s vendetta against Oppenheimer and had attempted, if fruitlessly, to talk Lawrence and Alvarez down from their starry-eyed pursuit of the Super.
From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik
In 2020, she was among a cross-section of public figures who signed an open letter denouncing cancel culture, saying it weakens open debate by shutting people down.
From BBC ● Sep. 3, 2026
“We will never get tired of denouncing this atrocity.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 25, 2026
My hope for this country: That the future holds more joy, more opportunity for growth, less injustices for all, recognition of past faults, and denouncing said faults.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 2, 2026
Meanwhile, Iranian officials messaged through state media that they hadn’t yet confirmed Tehran’s participation, often denouncing Israel’s counterstrikes to Hezbollah’s attacks.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 19, 2026
Outside, he debated whether to report the officer for denouncing Hitler.
From "Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Hitler's Shadow" by Susan Campbell Bartoletti
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.
