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denounce

[ dih-nouns ]
/ dɪˈnaʊns /
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See synonyms for: denounce / denounced / denouncing on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object), de·nounced, de·nounc·ing.
to condemn or censure openly or publicly: to denounce a politician as morally corrupt.
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.
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Origin of denounce

1250–1300; Middle English denouncen<Old French denoncier to speak out <Latin dēnuntiāre to threaten (dē-de- + nuntiāre to announce, derivative of nuntius messenger)

OTHER WORDS FROM denounce

de·nounce·ment, nounde·nounc·er, nounun·de·nounced, adjective

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH denounce

denounce , renounce
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use denounce in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for denounce

denounce
/ (dɪˈnaʊns) /

verb (tr)
to deplore or condemn openly or vehemently
to give information against; accuse
to announce formally the termination of (a treaty, etc)
obsolete
  1. to announce (something evil)
  2. to portend

Derived forms of denounce

denouncement, noundenouncer, noun

Word Origin for denounce

C13: from Old French denoncier to proclaim, from Latin dēnuntiāre to make an official proclamation, threaten, from de- + nuntiāre to announce
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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