denounce

American  

[dih-nouns] / dɪˈnaʊns /

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.

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denounce British  

/ 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

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Other Word Forms

• denouncement
  noun
• denouncer
  noun
• undenounced
  adjective

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.

Example Sentences

And rather than hit the barricades and denounce people or say, “How dare you think that” and shut people down.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 7, 2026

Riyadh and Abu Dhabi aren’t going to denounce Beijing in the United Nations or tear up contracts, but the relationships with China will change.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 21, 2026

"Whether it immobilizes us, or instead we denounce and shout to the world what is happening."

From Barron's • Apr. 20, 2026

The National Day Laborer Organizing Network announced a rally and press conference on Friday afternoon outside of the B-18 detention facility in downtown L.A. to denounce Villegas’ “unlawful arrest and incarceration.”

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 17, 2026

But I know that a dozen or half a hundred towns will rise up in injured wrath to denounce me with claims and figures for having much more dreadful weather than Fargo.

From "Travels with Charley in Search of America" by John Steinbeck

Related Words

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