Denounce
/dɪˈnaʊns/
verbB2
Definition
Denounce means to openly criticize or accuse someone or something, usually in public, because you believe they have done something wrong or harmful. It is often used when people want others to know about bad behavior or injustice.
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⚡ See It in Action
To publicly say that someone has done something wrong or illegal
- •The politician was denounced for corruption by the media.
- •Human rights groups denounced the unfair treatment of prisoners.
- •The teacher denounced cheating during the exam.
To strongly criticize or condemn an action or idea
- •The community denounced violence in their neighborhood.
- •The speech denounced racism and called for equality.
🧲 Make It Stick
- ✓Think of 'denounce' like 'say' (A1 word), but with a strong and serious meaning—it means to say something is very bad or wrong loudly and clearly.
- ✓Picture a person standing in front of a crowd, pointing and telling everyone that someone did something wrong.
- ✓It’s the feeling of wanting to tell the truth about a bad action so others can stop it or know about it.
- ✓Sounds like 'de-NOUNCE' → imagine announcing loudly that someone has done something wrong.
- ✓Think of a news reporter or a whistleblower who tells the public about a problem or crime.
- ✓NOT like 'complain' (which can be quiet or personal), 'denounce' is loud and public.
- ✓NOT like 'accuse' (which can be private), 'denounce' is often public and clear.
- ✓NOT like 'ignore' or 'accept'—denounce means to reject strongly and speak out.
🔄 Try Other Words
- •Condemn: to say something is very bad or wrong (Use when you want to express strong disapproval, often in formal contexts)
- •Accuse: to say someone did something wrong (Use when you want to say someone is guilty, often privately or legally)
- •Criticize: to say what is wrong or bad about something (Use when the focus is on pointing out faults but not always publicly)
- •Report: to tell others about something (Use when the focus is on sharing information, not necessarily with strong disapproval)
🔍 Unboxing
- •Word parts: prefix "de-" (down, away) + root "nounce" from Latin "nuntiare" meaning "to announce" or "to report"
- •Etymology: From Latin "denuntiare," meaning to announce formally or publicly, especially about something bad
- •Historical development: Originally meant to announce or warn; over time it came to mean publicly accusing or condemning
- •Modern usage: Used to describe strong public criticism or accusation, especially against bad actions or behavior
- •Key insight: Denounce is about announcing bad news or accusations clearly and openly to others
💭 Reflect & Connect
•When is it important to denounce something publicly rather than just talk about it quietly?
•How can denouncing bad behavior help or hurt a community or group of people?
Fill in the blanks with the correct word:
1.Activists denounce ___ when they want the government to change unfair laws.
2.To denounce someone, you usually have to do it ___ so others can hear or see it.
3.Unlike quietly complaining, denounce means to speak out ___ against wrong actions.
4.People often denounce corruption because it ___ trust in leaders.
5.When someone denounces a bad idea, they usually ___ it clearly and strongly.
6.Denounce often ___ strong words like "unfair" or "illegal" to show serious disapproval.
7.If a person does not denounce wrongdoing, people might think they ___ agree with it.