"declare" means: To make clear, explain, interpret.. This is a fairly neutral word with no inherent risk attached. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than something dangerous. If your child uses it, context will usually make the meaning clear. A brief, curious question about where they heard it is generally enough to know whether to follow up.
declare
(obsolete, transitive) To make clear, explain, interpret.
Seen in the wild
10 citations · last seen May 2026
Seen in the wild
BlueskyMay 2026
Declare, O Muse! in what ill-fated hour/Sprung the fierce strife, from what offended power
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BlueskyMay 2026
[Lire l'article](https://www.ukrinform.fr/rubric-economy/4120221-quelques-nouveaux-pays-ont-declare-leur-intention-de-rejoindre-le-pret-de-90-milliards-deuros-de-lue-pour-lukraine.html) #Ukraine #Info
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BlueskyMay 2026
No, sir, I meant anything to declare regarding your suitcase?
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BlueskyMay 2026
goodnight when i wake up they should declare me governor and
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BlueskyMay 2026
Bulletin AM briefing: Ukraine and Russia declare rival ceasefires – and today’s other top stories Here’s five of today’s biggest stories
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Definitions
#1·Apr 27, 2026
(obsolete, transitive) To make clear, explain, interpret.
He declared him innocent.
Origin: From , from , from , from dē- + clārus. Origin information sourced from Wiktionary contributors (CC BY-SA 4.0).
For parents
"declare" means: To make clear, explain, interpret.. This is a fairly neutral word with no inherent risk attached. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than something dangerous. If your child uses it, context will usually make the meaning clear. A brief, curious question about where they heard it is generally enough to know whether to follow up.
For ESL learners
"declare" means: To make clear, explain, interpret.. Register: neutral, standard English, usable in most everyday contexts. Note the regional or dialect label (obsolete) — usage may sound odd outside that variety. A common non-native mistake is to use the word in the wrong register, or to assume one fixed meaning when it is actually polysemous; always check the surrounding register and the audience before producing it yourself. In formal writing, prefer a neutral synonym or a short descriptive phrase, and use this word only when you have heard or read it being used naturally in a comparable context.
Heard in the wild
“Declare, O Muse! in what ill-fated hour/Sprung the fierce strife, from what offended power”
— Bluesky· May 2026“[Lire l'article](https://www.ukrinform.fr/rubric-economy/4120221-quelques-nouveaux-pays-ont-declare-leur-intention-de-rejoindre-le-pret-de-90-milliards-deuros-de-lue-pour-lukraine.html) #Ukraine #Info”
— Bluesky· May 2026“No, sir, I meant anything to declare regarding your suitcase?”
— Bluesky· May 2026“goodnight when i wake up they should declare me governor and”
— Bluesky· May 2026“hi guys i'm back, i now declare that all comeents have to be in chinese”
— r/GenAlpha· Apr 2026
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#2·Apr 27, 2026
(transitive, intransitive) To assert or announce formally, officially, explicitly, or emphatically.
I'll declare for the presidency.
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#3·Apr 27, 2026
(transitive) To inform government customs or taxation officials of goods one is importing or of income, expenses, or other circumstances affecting one's taxes.
Heard in the wild
“Bulletin AM briefing: Ukraine and Russia declare rival ceasefires – and today’s other top stories Here’s five of today’s biggest stories”
— Bluesky· May 2026“Many journals do not allow this, or you have to declare you did not do this. Also serious concerns of whether you have the right to upload another’s unpublished work to whichever server you are using.”
— Bluesky· May 2026“Declare, O Muse! in what ill-fated hour/Sprung the fierce strife, from what offended power”
— Bluesky· May 2026“If he didn’t pay tax and didn’t declare the gift then yes, there should be some charges to at least answer to. While they’re at it, perhaps they can dig a bit further into how his ‘bankrupt’ girlfriend could afford an almost £900k house on her own.”
— Bluesky· May 2026“Putin and Zelenskyy declare rival ceasefire ahead of Victory Day 2026 https://www.europesays.com/people/57477/ Putin and Zelenskyy declare rival ceasefire ahead of Victory Day 2026 Russia and Ukraine have announced separate clashing…”
— Bluesky· May 2026
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For specific readers
Why is this section here?
Slang is read by different audiences for very different reasons. The For parents view re-explains the term in plain, non-judgemental language so a caregiver can understand what their child means without needing the surrounding subculture. The For English learners view focuses on register (when it's safe to use), formal alternatives, and common mistakes — what a textbook won't teach you.
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Other words near "declare" (D)
deceptively misdescriptivedeciderdecimal dozendeckheadDeclandeclaratordeclinatory pleadecolorizedeconceptualizationDecoration Daydecoratordeculvert
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