avowed

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adjective \ ə-ˈvau̇d \

Definition of avowed

1 :openly acknowledged or declared

an avowed liberal/conservative

2 :asserted to be true or real :professed

their avowed purpose/goal/aim/intention

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Recent Examples of avowed from the Web

Linder, who started his online site in 2000, was among supporters of avowed neo-Nazi F. Glenn Miller Jr., who shot to death three people at Jewish facilities in Overland Park in 2014.

— judy l. thomas, kansascity, "Missouri-based white supremacist website continues to operate as others are shut down," 28 Aug. 2017
BOSTON (AP) — Ninety years ago Wednesday, Italian immigrants and avowed anarchists Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti were executed in Boston after one of the most notorious criminal cases of the 20th century.

— steve leblanc, The Seattle Times, "90 years on, legacy of Sacco and Vanzetti executions lingers," 23 Aug. 2017
The nationwide debate over the fate of these memorials intensified in 2015 after an avowed white supremacist named Dylann Roof killed nine African-American churchgoers in Charleston, S.C.

— paul barrett, Bloomberg.com, "Actually Getting Rid of Robert E. Lee Can Be More Difficult Than You’d Think," 21 Aug. 2017
The killer, Dylann Roof, is an avowed white supremacist who walked into a Wednesday night Bible study with a .45-caliber Glock handgun and 88 hollow-point bullets.

— molly blue, OregonLive.com, "Same game, new name: It's the Bad Boy Mowers Gasparilla Bowl," 18 Aug. 2017
The issue wasn’t that every avowed nationalist who claimed membership in the alt-right was a Nazi or Klansman.

— jonah goldberg, National Review, "Conservatism’s Damaging Game of Footsie with the Alt-Right," 16 Aug. 2017
Others pointed out the irony of avowed white supremacists using a Polynesian-inspired product at their rally.

— maya rhodan, Fortune, "‘We Do Not Support Their Message.’ Tiki Torch Maker Denounces Use in Charlottesville White Nationalist Rally," 14 Aug. 2017
The reference would make sense for Cyrus, an avowed Dylan disciple.

— andrew unterberger, Billboard, "Is Miley Cyrus' 'Younger Now' Album Title a Bob Dylan Reference?," 8 Aug. 2017
An avowed libertarian, Thiel was initially excited by Trump’s unorthodox style and willingness to upend the establishment.

— maya kosoff, The Hive, "Peter Thiel Sours on Donald Trump," 7 Aug. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'avowed.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of avowed

14th century

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