declare

American  

[dih-klair] / dɪˈklɛər /

verb (used with object)

• declares,
  present (3rd person singular)
• declared,
  past participle,  past
• declaring
  present participle

1. to make known or state clearly, especially in explicit or formal terms.

   to declare one's position in a controversy.

2. to announce officially; proclaim.

   to declare a state of emergency; to declare a winner.

3. to state emphatically.

   He declared that the allegation was a lie.

   Synonyms:

   state, asseverate, aver

   Antonyms:

   deny

4. to manifest; reveal; show.

   Her attendance at the rally declared her political allegiance.

   Synonyms:

   publish, disclose

5. to make due statement of, especially goods for duty or income for taxation.

6. to make (a dividend) payable.

7. Bridge. to bid (a trump suit or no-trump).

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verb (used without object)

• declares,
  present (3rd person singular)
• declared,
  past participle,  past
• declaring
  present participle

1. to make a declaration.

2. to proclaim oneself (usually followed by for oragainst ).

   He declared against the proposal.

3. Cricket. (of a team) to surrender a turn at bat in an innings before ten players are put out.

declare British  

/ dɪˈklɛə /

verb

1. (may take a clause as object) to make clearly known or announce officially

   to declare one's interests

   war was declared

2. to state officially that (a person, fact, etc) is as specified

   he declared him fit

3. (may take a clause as object) to state emphatically; assert

4. to show, reveal, or manifest

   the heavens declare the glory of God

5. (intr; often foll by for or against) to make known one's choice or opinion

6. to make a complete statement of (dutiable goods, etc)

7. (also intr) cards

   1. to display (a card or series of ards) on the table so as to add to one's score

   2. to decide (the trump suit) by making the final bid

8. (intr) cricket to close an innings voluntarily before all ten wickets have fallen

9. to authorize the payment of (a dividend) from corporate net profit

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Synonym Usage

Declare, affirm, assert, protest imply making something known emphatically, openly, or formally. To declare is to make known, sometimes in the face of actual or potential contradiction: to declare someone the winner of a contest. To affirm is to make a statement based on one's reputation for knowledge or veracity, or so related to a generally recognized truth that denial is not likely: to affirm the necessity of high standards. To assert is to state boldly, usually without other proof than personal authority or conviction: to assert that the climate is changing. To protest is to affirm publicly, as if in the face of doubt: to protest that a newspaper account is misleading.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• misdeclare
  verb
• predeclare
  verb (used with object)
• redeclare
  verb (used with object)
• declarable
  adjective
• undeclarable
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Participles

• declaring
  present
• declared
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• declare
  simple
• declares
  simple
• have declared
  perfect
• has declared
  perfect
• am declaring
  progressive
• are declaring
  progressive
• is declaring
  progressive
• have been declaring
  perfect progressive
• has been declaring
  perfect progressive

Past

• declared
  simple
• had declared
  perfect
• was declaring
  progressive
• were declaring
  progressive
• had been declaring
  perfect progressive

Future

• will declare
  simple
• will have declared
  perfect
• will be declaring
  progressive
• will have been declaring
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of declare

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English declaren, from Latin dēclārāre “to announce, make evident, reveal,” from dē- de- + clārāre “to make clear” (from clārus clear )

Explanation

If you declare victory, you are ending a war by saying you have won. Hopefully, the other side agrees, or your troops might declare you a fool. To declare is to state clearly and officially. In elections, the government body that counts the votes declares the winner. Until the declaration is made, the results are not official. When you are traveling, you might be asked if you have anything to declare. You're not being asked for a statement of your beliefs, rather they want to know if you bought anything taxable abroad. If you hear your grandmother say, "Well, I declare!" you can be sure she is shocked and offended.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

declare declares declared declaring

Today, European stocks are a higher-quality, better capitalized version than they were before the 2008 global financial crisis, with partial exposure to the AI/data-center supercycle, accelerating fiscal spending and global orientation, they declare.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 9, 2026

By late October, a large share of New York City’s 38,000 horses were confined to their stables, leading the New York Herald to declare, “Manhattan Island Turned Into a Vast Horse Hospital.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 7, 2026

The amendment provides a process for the vice president and a majority of the Cabinet to declare a president unable to discharge the duties of the office.

From Salon ● Sep. 7, 2026

But he backs attempts to declare the Indemnity Act unconstitutional "to cleanse us of that past".

From BBC ● Sep. 3, 2026

“I’m sure Grandma is already planning a big celebration for your return. A parade. A party. She may declare it a holiday.”

From "The Manifestor Prophecy" by Angie Thomas

“Light offshore wind. Clean, glassy barrels,” he declares softly to the camera as gray waves break behind him.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 14, 2026

At the Philadelphia Museum, an early wall label declares “artists are everywhere among us.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 5, 2026

If the jury does not reach a verdict and Judge Sullivan declares a mistrial, prosecutors would need to decide whether to retry the case.

From BBC ● Sep. 4, 2026

If they cannot agree, the judge declares a mistrial and prosecutors must decide whether to try the case again with a new jury.

From Barron's ● Sep. 4, 2026

Oppenheimer thought of a line from the ancient Hindu scripture, the Bhagavad-Gita, a dramatic moment in which the god Vishnu declares: “Now I am become death, the destroyer of worlds.”

From "Bomb" by Steve Sheinkin

Hollywood star Catherine Zeta-Jones has declared the phrase "nepo baby" is "horrific", saying: "These kids didn't ask to be born into this."

From BBC ● Sep. 13, 2026

The FDA did — and its investigation is still continuing even though the CDC has declared the outbreak over.

From Salon ● Sep. 13, 2026

“I want to see my children!” a sobbing Cerimedo declared at one point in earshot of the media.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 13, 2026

In July, So opened her gate to dozens of lands department officials and police, who declared the area government property.

From Barron's ● Sep. 13, 2026

Japan had declared war on Germany in August 1914 and seized German possessions in the Pacific and China.

From "The War to End All Wars: World War I" by Russell Freedman

I know Bill Plaschke put the curse on them by declaring an undefeated season but coach Sean McVay and the Rams have to do better.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 12, 2026

Last year, Trump also signed an executive order declaring that the Gulf of Mexico—which is bounded by the U.S.,

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 7, 2026

Last year, Glasgow City Council leader Susan Aitken said the city had "run out" of temporary accommodation for people declaring themselves homeless.

From BBC ● Sep. 3, 2026

Its goal was to make declaring bankruptcy harder and more expensive.

From Salon ● Aug. 29, 2026

After declaring his irreversible intention to retire, Washington devoted several paragraphs to the need for national unity.

From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis

Related Words

• acknowledge
• advocate
• affirm
• announce
• argue
• assert
• claim
• confirm
• disclose
• inform
• insist
• maintain
• proclaim
• reaffirm
• repeat
• reveal
• stress
• tell