denounce

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verb

Definition of DENOUNCE

1

to declare to be morally wrong or evil <the church council denounced the bishop's teachings, officially declaring them to be heresy>

Synonyms anathematize, censure, damn, decry, denounce, execrate, reprehend, reprobate

Related Words attack, blame, blast, criticize, dis (also diss) [slang], dispraise, fault, knock, pan, slam; belittle, deprecate, disparage; doom, sentence; convict; blacklist, excommunicate, ostracize; castigate, chastise, rebuke, reprimand, reproach; admonish, chide, reprove; berate, lambaste (or lambast), rake, scold, upbraid, vituperate; curse, imprecate; abhor, abominate, detest, hate, loathe, revile

Near Antonyms approve, endorse (also indorse), sanction; eulogize, exalt, extol (also extoll), glorify, laud, praise; acclaim, applaud, commend, hail, salute, tout; consecrate, hallow, sanctify; honor, revere, venerate

Antonyms bless

2

to express one's unfavorable opinion of the worth or quality of <denounced the shoddy merchandise that the local shops were foisting on tourists>

Synonyms blame, censure, condemn, denounce, dis (also diss) [slang], dispraise, fault, knock, pan, reprehend, slag [chiefly British]

Related Words skewer, tweak; assail, attack, blast, clobber, slam, slash; nick (at), snipe (at); beef, bellyache, bitch, carp, cavil, complain, crab, croak, fuss, gripe, grouse, growl, grumble, kick, kvetch, moan, murmur, mutter, niggle, quibble, whine; admonish, chide, drub, rebuke, reprimand, reproach, reprove; berate, castigate, crucify, excoriate, flay, gibbet, hammer, keelhaul, lambaste (or lambast), lash, pillory, scold, upbraid; bad-mouth, belittle, decry, deride, discommend, disparage, put down

Near Antonyms approve, commend, endorse (also indorse), recommend, sanction

Antonyms extol (also extoll), laud, praise

3

to express public or formal disapproval of <the governor has denounced the court's decision and vows to press for a constitutional amendment>

Synonyms condemn, denounce, objurgate, rebuke, reprimand, reproach, reprove

Related Words admonish, chastise; castigate, punish; bawl out, berate, chew out, cut up, dress down, flay, gibbet, jaw, keelhaul, lambaste (or lambast), lecture, rag, rail (at or against), rate, scold, score, tell off, upbraid; belittle, criticize, deprecate, depreciate, disparage

Near Antonyms acclaim, applause, hail, honor; eulogize, laud, praise; approve, bless, sanction

Antonyms cite, commend, endorse (also indorse)