Library / English Dictionary

DENOUNCE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Speak out against

Example:

He denounced the Nazis

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Hypernyms (to "denounce" is one way to...):

criticise; criticize; knock; pick apart (find fault with; express criticism of; point out real or perceived flaws)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "denounce"):

fulminate; rail (criticize severely)

condemn; decry; excoriate; objurgate; reprobate (express strong disapproval of)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody
Something ----s something

Derivation:

denouncement (a public act of denouncing)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Give away information about somebody

Example:

He told on his classmate who had cheated on the exam

Synonyms:

betray; denounce; give away; grass; rat; shit; shop; snitch; stag; tell on

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Hypernyms (to "denounce" is one way to...):

inform (impart knowledge of some fact, state of affairs, or event to)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "denounce"):

sell someone out (give information that compromises others)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s somebody

Sense 3

Meaning:

Announce the termination of, as of treaties

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Hypernyms (to "denounce" is one way to...):

announce; denote (make known; make an announcement)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 4

Meaning:

To accuse or condemn or openly or formally or brand as disgraceful

Example:

She was stigmatized by society because she had a child out of wedlock

Synonyms:

brand; denounce; mark; stigmatise; stigmatize

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Hypernyms (to "denounce" is one way to...):

label (assign a label to; designate with a label)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Derivation:

denouncement (a public act of denouncing)

denunciative (containing warning of punishment)

Credits

 Context examples: 

In appearing before you to denounce probably the most consummate Villain that has ever existed, Mr. Micawber, without looking off the letter, pointed the ruler, like a ghostly truncheon, at Uriah Heep, I ask no consideration for myself.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)