"denounce" means: To make a formal or public accusation against; to inform against; to accuse.. This is technical or formal vocabulary, more likely to appear in school work, news or a particular profession than in peer chat. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than risky behaviour. If your child uses the term, it is usually a sign of curiosity about a subject area. A short follow-up question about where they came across it is usually all that is needed.
denounce
(transitive) To make a formal or public accusation against; to inform against; to accuse.
Seen in the wild
10 citations · last seen May 2026
Seen in the wild
BlueskyMay 2026
Agreed. Any cartoon, speech or slogan of a defamatory nature should be immediately denounced no matter what party you are a member of or lead. If you don’t denounce it you will be seen as agreeing with it. Political p…
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BlueskyMay 2026
if you're gonna denounce me can you wait 23 hours? new book cover reveal is tomorrow, it'd be good to get some ~synergy~
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BlueskyMay 2026
I invite you to step outside this generic mental framework and pay attention to good examples of journalism, because otherwise you risk falling into the same traps as the extremists who constantly denounce vague and g…
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BlueskyMay 2026
Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Jordan denounce missile and drone strikes, as Germany, UK, and Canada call for Iran to return to talks. www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/5/...
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BlueskyMay 2026
AI usage at all taints your reputation. Even if you wrote it yourself I can't be willing to believe you until you learn to denounce it.
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Definitions
#1·Apr 27, 2026
(transitive) To make a formal or public accusation against; to inform against; to accuse.
For parents
"denounce" means: To make a formal or public accusation against; to inform against; to accuse.. This is technical or formal vocabulary, more likely to appear in school work, news or a particular profession than in peer chat. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than risky behaviour. If your child uses the term, it is usually a sign of curiosity about a subject area. A short follow-up question about where they came across it is usually all that is needed.
For ESL learners
"denounce" means: To make a formal or public accusation against; to inform against; to accuse.. Register: formal or technical English, standard in its specialist domain (law, medicine, science, finance, etc.). Gloss the term with a plain synonym when writing for a general audience. 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.
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#2·Apr 27, 2026
(transitive) To 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
Heard in the wild
“Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Jordan denounce missile and drone strikes, as Germany, UK, and Canada call for Iran to return to talks. www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/5/...”
— Bluesky· May 2026“If you voted for Trump and have yet to denounce him by admitting your mistake, FUCK YOU!”
— Bluesky· May 2026“and look if arbys could declare war or defund usaid, i would also ask obama to come back and denounce the new manager of arbys”
— Bluesky· May 2026“How to Denounce the Iran War Without Facts | American Enterprise Institute https://www.europesays.com/2968135/ The Opinion section of this past Sunday’s New York Times will tell you everything you need to know…”
— Bluesky· May 2026“When you’re ready to denounce Israel we will support you. If not, good luck Gavin.”
— Bluesky· May 2026
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#3·Apr 27, 2026
(transitive, obsolete) To make known in a formal manner; to proclaim; to announce; to declare.
Origin: From , from , from + to announce, to report, to denounce, from messenger, message.. Origin information sourced from Wiktionary contributors (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Heard in the wild
“Agreed. Any cartoon, speech or slogan of a defamatory nature should be immediately denounced no matter what party you are a member of or lead. If you don’t denounce it you will be seen as agreeing with it. Political parties need to stop this disgusting way of politicking.”
— Bluesky· May 2026“if you're gonna denounce me can you wait 23 hours? new book cover reveal is tomorrow, it'd be good to get some ~synergy~”
— Bluesky· May 2026“I invite you to step outside this generic mental framework and pay attention to good examples of journalism, because otherwise you risk falling into the same traps as the extremists who constantly denounce vague and global conspiracies.”
— Bluesky· May 2026“AI usage at all taints your reputation. Even if you wrote it yourself I can't be willing to believe you until you learn to denounce it.”
— Bluesky· May 2026“That sounds dangerously like saying Jewish communities are all at fault and a legitimate target if they don’t denounce those among them who support the genocide. The culpability lies with those acting wrongfully.”
— 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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