avow

avow

transitive verb \ə-ˈvau̇\

Definition of AVOW

1

: to declare assuredly <she avowed her innocence>

2

: to declare openly, bluntly, and without shame <ever ready to avow his reactionary outlook>

— avow·er \-ˈvau̇(-ə)r\ noun

Examples of AVOW

1. <avowed that the colonization of Mars in our lifetime is not only possible but probable>
2. <avowed their undying love for each other>

Origin of AVOW

Middle English, from Anglo-French avuer, avouer, from Latin advocare

First Known Use: 14th century

Related to AVOW

Synonyms

affirm, allege, assert, aver, avouch, claim, contend, declare, insist, maintain, profess, protest, purport, warrant

Antonyms

deny, gainsay

Related Words

announce, broadcast, proclaim; argue, rationalize, reason; confirm, justify, vindicate; defend, persevere, support, uphold; reaffirm, reassert

Near Antonyms

abandon; disavow, disclaim, disown, negate, negative, reject, repudiate; challenge, dispute, question; confute, disprove, rebut, refute; contradict, counter

See Synonym Discussion at acknowledge, assert

Rhymes with AVOW

Aargau, allow, and how, ant cow, as how, Belau, Bissau, bowwow, Breslau, cacao, cahow, Callao, cash cow, chowchow, chow chow, Cracow, Dachau, Davao, Donau, endow, enow, erenow, eyebrow, gangplow, Hankow, hausfrau, haymow, highbrow, hoosegow, jiao, Jungfrau, know-how, kowtow, Kraków, landau, lowbrow, luau, Lucknow, Macao, mau-mau, meow, Moscow, nohow, Palau, powwow, sea cow, snowplow, somehow, Spandau, Zwickau