proclamation
Americannoun
-
proclamations
plural
-
something that is proclaimed; a public and official announcement.
-
the act of proclaiming.
Usage
What does proclamation mean? A proclamation is an official announcement made in public. Proclamation is the noun form of the verb proclaim, meaning to announce or declare something in an official or formal manner. Proclamations are typically made by public officials. Like the similar word announcement, proclamation is often used with the verb make. Example: The mayor called a press conference to issue a proclamation declaring an official citywide day of celebration for the new champions of baseball.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of proclamation
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English proclamacioun (from Middle French proclamacion, ) from Latin prōclāmātiōn- (stem of prōclāmātiō ), equivalent to prōclāmāt(us) (past participle of prōclāmāre “to cry out, proclaim ”) + -iōn- -ion
Explanation
A proclamation is a formal public statement. If the mayor of your town issued a proclamation honoring the state champion field hockey team, this is an official statement of praise and celebration. A major statement made in front of an audience or the authoritative word on some subject is a proclamation. It's usually used in an official or government context, although an ordinary person can also make a proclamation, like your proclamation that you'll never dance again after your embarrassment at last week's hip hop recital. The root is proclaim, declare publicly, though the i is dropped in proclamation.
Vocabulary lists containing proclamation
Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" Speech (1963)
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!
The American Civil War
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!
The Emancipation Proclamation (1862)
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 proclamation also authorizes the commerce secretary to establish an onshoring program for companies making new investments in manufacturing drones and drone components, in line with the administration’s push to bolster national defense industries.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026
Hathaway’s gospel-infused arrangement and call-and-response with a crowd at the Troubadour transformed Carole King’s song from a private promise into a proclamation of Black resilience.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 2, 2026
Chief EU observer Annalisa Corrado urged candidates to "wait patiently for the official proclamation of the results."
From Barron's ● Jun. 9, 2026
Gov Abbott issued a proclamation declaring a state of disaster on Friday, which states the outbreak presents "an imminent threat or occurrence of widespread danger and injury to the Texas agricultural industry".
From BBC ● Jun. 6, 2026
A room there revealed two things—one, a prophecy that promised—the return of darkness—two, written on the ceiling, a proclamation — that the Dark Lord had a—that Voldemort had a child.
From "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child" by J.K. Rowling
That may help explain how we wound up with “Alice in Wonderland”-style competing proclamations that made it sound as if Xi and Trump had been in different conversations, or perhaps different universes.
From Salon ● May 17, 2026
Around Angel’s old barber chair, just about every inch of wall space is occupied by proclamations and photos.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 12, 2026
The court starts with grand judicial maximalist proclamations from the founding about how it’s the duty of courts, especially Virginia courts, to decide legal questions.
From Slate ● May 8, 2026
But trade veterans say that strategy would still be more administratively difficult than his application of the emergency law, which allowed him to alter tariff levels with simple proclamations.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 21, 2026
I took a slow turn around the shop, admiring the shelves heavy with books, business forms, proclamations from Parliament and General Howe, slates, thick paper, quills, and sealing wax.
From "Chains" by Laurie Halse Anderson
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.
