denounce

What it means

1. obsoletetransitiveTo make known in a formal manner; to proclaim; to announce; to declare.

   And full of peace, denouncing wrath to come

   1667, John Milton, Paradise Lost

   1 more example

   Nero[…]sent his Satellites or officers toward him, to denounce the decree of his death to him[…].

   1603, Michel de Montaigne, chapter 35, in John Florio, transl., The Essayes […], book II, London: […] Val[entine] Simmes for Edward Blount […], →OCLC

   Synonyms: herald, make known, promulgate, report, sound

2. transitiveTo criticize or speak out against (someone or something); to point out as deserving of reprehension, etc.; to openly accuse or condemn in a threatening manner; to invoke censure upon; to stigmatize; to blame.

   to denounce someone as a swindler, or as a coward

   2 more examples

   Mr. Cameron had a respite Thursday from the negative chatter swirling around him when he appeared outside 10 Downing Street to denounce the murder a day before of a British soldier on a London street.

   2013 May 23, Sarah Lyall, “British Leader’s Liberal Turn Sets Off a Rebellion in His Party”, in New York Times, retrieved 29 May 2013

   It is the latest step towards an airline-style advance booking-only system, which rail users have denounced as signalling the end of affordable, immediate travel.

   2024 February 7, Mel Holley, “Network News: LNER ditches Off-Peak for 70min semi-flexible fare”, in RAIL, number 1002, page 6

   Synonyms: attack, charge, condemn, criticize, damn, decry, discredit, inveigh against

3. transitiveTo make a formal or public accusation against; to inform against; to accuse.

   to denounce a confederate in crime

   1 more example

   to denounce someone to the authorities

In a sentence

Nero[…]sent his Satellites or officers toward him, to denounce the decree of his death to him[…].

1603, Michel de Montaigne, chapter 35, in John Florio, transl., The Essayes […], book II, London: […] Val[entine] Simmes for Edward Blount […], →OCLC

Where it comes from

1. Latindēnūntiō“to announce, to denounce, to threaten”
2. Old Frenchdenuncier
3. Englishdenounce

From Old French denuncier, from Latin dēnūntiō (“to announce, to denounce, to threaten”), from de + nūntiō (“to announce, to report, to denounce”), from nūntius (“messenger, message”). Doublet of denunciate.