proclaim
Americanverb (used with object)
-
proclaims,
present (3rd person singular)
-
proclaimed,
past participle, past
-
proclaiming
present participle
-
to announce or declare in an official or formal manner.
to proclaim war.
- Synonyms:
- advertise
-
to announce or declare in an open or ostentatious way.
to proclaim one's opinions.
- Synonyms:
- promulgate
-
to indicate or make known publicly or openly.
-
to extol or praise publicly.
Let them proclaim the Lord.
-
to declare (a territory, district, etc.) subject to particular legal restrictions.
-
to declare to be an outlaw, evildoer, or the like.
-
to denounce or prohibit publicly.
verb (used without object)
-
proclaims,
present (3rd person singular)
-
proclaimed,
past participle, past
-
proclaiming
present participle
verb
-
(may take a clause as object) to announce publicly
-
(may take a clause as object) to show or indicate plainly
-
to praise or extol
Synonym Usage
See announce.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
-
proclaimernoun
-
proclamationnoun
-
reproclaimverb (used with object)
-
proclamatoryadjective
-
self-proclaimedadjective
-
self-proclaimingadjective
-
unproclaimedadjective
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
proclaimsimple
-
proclaimssimple
-
have proclaimedperfect
-
has proclaimedperfect
-
am proclaimingprogressive
-
are proclaimingprogressive
-
is proclaimingprogressive
-
have been proclaimingperfect progressive
-
has been proclaimingperfect progressive
Past
-
proclaimedsimple
-
had proclaimedperfect
-
was proclaimingprogressive
-
were proclaimingprogressive
-
had been proclaimingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of proclaim
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin prōclāmāre “to cry out”; equivalent to pro- 1 + claim
Explanation
"I proclaim the Olympic Games open." Every two years with words similar to these, the Olympic games officially begin. To proclaim is to exclaim or declare. When you proclaim something, you are saying it loud and clear and in public. A doctor can proclaim you healthy after you have recovered from a long illness. The panel of judges may have trouble proclaiming the winner in a very tight race. What you are saying out loud can be called a proclamation. Proclamations were once only made by Kings or other ruling leaders which is why the word proclaim has an official feeling to it.
Vocabulary lists containing proclaim
Power Prefix: pro
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!
Words That Could Go Either Way: Synonyms for "Maybe"
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!
Christmas Carol Vocab: A Lyrical Lexicon
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:
The rapid advances in AI spurred some industry leaders to proclaim that machine intelligence would wipe out millions of jobs almost overnight.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 11, 2026
Middle East analysts interpreted the move as a signal that Hamas may be willing to engage, but cautioned that it was too early to proclaim progress.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 10, 2026
After overcoming each temptation, he goes to Galilee to proclaim God’s word.
From Salon ● Jun. 5, 2026
Let us proclaim that, oh, teams can’t land back-to-back No. 1 picks.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 27, 2026
Rumor swells daily that the Governor will proclaim the freedom of the Africans from bondage.
From "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume I: The Pox Party" by M.T. Anderson
You also have another series, called The Best of AI: Animation, that calls its entries “human in spirit” and proclaims that “another cinematic language is being written right now.”
From Slate ● Aug. 16, 2026
Above downtown's historic Lamplight Theatre, a sign proclaims "Jesus first in all things".
From BBC ● Aug. 12, 2026
Cunningham proclaims herself as a warrior for “common sense” by fighting off a scourge that no one can see.
From Salon ● Aug. 9, 2026
“I don’t want a break, I want to stop,” Ilana proclaims.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 19, 2026
The League of United Marvellers hereby proclaims that the Conjure folk* of the world are granted citizenship to the Marvellian community.
From "The Marvellers" by Dhonielle Clayton
The Unification Church, known formally as The Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, was founded in South Korea in the 1950s by Sun Myung Moon, who proclaimed himself the messiah.
From BBC ● Aug. 31, 2026
“You have every right to expect more from your city,” Raman proclaimed, her voice strong and clear.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 20, 2026
The council is trying to kill London nightlife, the Daily Mail proclaimed.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 18, 2026
For a company that has owned a pioneering AI lab since 2014 and has proclaimed itself “AI-first” since 2016, Google seems to have squandered an early lead, experts say.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 15, 2026
Everyone but the children knew that she always proclaimed her darlings the winner, when she could get away with it.
From "The Underground Railroad: A Novel" by Colson Whitehead
"It's a serious storm," Governor Josh Green said, proclaiming a state of emergency to ensure the state and its counties "have sufficient resources to clear debris, secure infrastructure, and take other measures to prepare."
From Barron's ● Aug. 15, 2026
But Platner has repeatedly denied wrongdoing, proclaiming himself a changed man.
From Slate ● Jul. 7, 2026
Black-clad Turkish police on street corners, giant blue banners proclaiming "The Key to Peace" and a ceremonial welcome for Donald Trump.
From BBC ● Jul. 7, 2026
The Education Department highlighted several Wednesday in a news release proclaiming that the “cycle of over-borrowing is over.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 6, 2026
Grief is grief, pain is pain, and music, Beethoven seems to be proclaiming, is the art best placed to confront such darkness.
From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall
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.
