Word
denounce
Meanings
To publicly criticize or condemn someone or something strongly.
To formally accuse or report someone to authorities, especially for wrongdoing.
Definition
To denounce someone or something is to publicly criticize or condemn it strongly.
To denounce means to speak out publicly and forcefully against a person, action, or idea, often because you believe it is wrong or harmful. It usually implies strong moral judgment and a clear rejection. People denounce things in speeches, statements, reports, or open letters to influence public opinion or demand change.
Examples
- The senator denounced the violence in a televised address, urging a calm return to democratic debate.
- I denounced the editor’s decision in a detailed email, because it undermined the investigation’s credibility.
- They denounced the company’s wasteful practices at the annual meeting, pressing management for transparent targets.
- She denounced the online harassment in her open letter, calling on platforms to enforce their own rules.
Common mistake
Learners sometimes use "denounce" as if it meant "announce" or "denote," but it specifically means to condemn or accuse strongly, often publicly.
More at C1 level
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- xenophobia Xenophobia is a strong dislike or fear of people from other countries or cultures.
- genocide Genocide is the deliberate killing of a large number of people from a particular group in order to …
- conundrum A conundrum is a confusing and difficult problem to solve.
- pretentious Trying to seem more important, intelligent, or cultured than you really are.
More verbs
- analyze To examine something carefully in order to understand it or explain it.
- scrutinize To scrutinize something is to examine it very carefully and in detail.
- affect To affect something is to influence it or cause it to change.
- allude To allude means to mention or suggest something indirectly without saying it clearly.
- elude To elude someone or something is to avoid being caught, understood, or remembered.