proclaim

[proh-kleym, pruh-]

verb (used with object)

1. to announce or declare in an official or formal manner.

   to proclaim war.

   Synonyms: advertise

2. to announce or declare in an open or ostentatious way.

   to proclaim one's opinions.

   Synonyms: promulgate

3. to indicate or make known publicly or openly.

4. to extol or praise publicly.

   Let them proclaim the Lord.

5. to declare (a territory, district, etc.) subject to particular legal restrictions.

6. to declare to be an outlaw, evildoer, or the like.

7. to denounce or prohibit publicly.

verb (used without object)

1. to make a proclamation.

proclaim

/ prəˈklæmətərɪ, -trɪ, ˌprɒkləˈmeɪʃən, prəˈkleɪm /

verb

1. (may take a clause as object) to announce publicly

2. (may take a clause as object) to show or indicate plainly

3. to praise or extol

Other Word Forms

• proclaimer noun
• reproclaim verb (used with object)
• self-proclaimed adjective
• self-proclaiming adjective
• unproclaimed adjective
• proclamation noun
• proclamatory adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of proclaim¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin prōclāmāre “to cry out”; equivalent to pro- ¹ + claim

Word History and Origins

Origin of proclaim¹

C14: from Latin prōclāmāre to shout aloud

Synonym Study

See announce.

Example Sentences

I watch a lot of post-match analysis where pundits proclaim after the event what is right with the winning team and wrong with the losing one.

Read more on BBC

He also understood that Thanksgiving has no festive tree to proclaim its stature, like Christmas a few weeks away.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

“The Baron of Wall Street” proclaims that Dillon—not alone in his era—enriched himself through “chicanery, subterfuge, and graft.”

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Cherfilus-McCormick proclaimed her innocence, calling the indictment “an unjust, baseless, sham.”

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Alexander proclaimed, then clicked his heels together three times, in the Russian style.

Read more on Literature

Related Words

• affirm 
• announce 
• declare 
• demonstrate 
• indicate 
• profess 
• publish 
• trumpet