declaim

verb

de·claim | \ di-ˈklām

, dē-\

declaimed; declaiming; declaims

Definition of declaim

1 : to speak rhetorically speakers declaimed on a variety of issues specifically : to recite something as an exercise in elocution

2 : to speak pompously or bombastically : harangue In presence of this historical fact it is foolish to declaim about natural rights …— V. L. Parrington

transitive verb

: to deliver rhetorically an actor declaiming his lines "I am a German citizen," she declaimed as if she had been practicing these lines …— André A. Aciman specifically : to recite in elocution … all these people declaiming selections from Shakespeare. — Ellen Glasgow

Other Words from declaim Synonyms When Should You Use declaim? More Example Sentences Learn More about declaim

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Examples of declaim in a Sentence

The actress declaimed her lines with passion. The speakers declaimed on a variety of issues.

Recent Examples on the Web

North America, Gilpin grandly declaimed, had a national, unified personality. — Johnforristerross, Longreads, "Taming the Great American Desert," 2 July 2018 One soprano declaims these words while another sings settings of poems by Rebecca Elson, who tells of a similar struggle, in more oblique terms. — Alex Ross, The New Yorker, "The Sonic Fury of the Ojai Music Festival," 24 June 2018 In this sense, all fiction — and this has been roughly true since the early nineteenth century, when the burgeoningly popular, still somewhat novel novel form, was declaimed as a woman’s art — is chick lit. — Constance Grady, Vox, "Jane Austen, authority on relationship intricacies, has been cited in 27 legal decisions," 28 Apr. 2018 These were then declaimed by a speech synthesizer, with the androidal American accent that has thereafter become his trademark. — Martin Rees, Newsweek, "A Brief History of My Friend Stephen Hawking, the Man Who Changed Our Times," 14 Mar. 2018 These narcissists declaim their insecurities and grievances in the language of personal essays. — Christian Lorentzen, New Republic, "Talk Therapy," 9 Feb. 2018 The pastors who speak at those have nearly half an hour each to declaim, and the speakers bring many of their own congregants to the host church with them. — Jonathan M. Pitts, baltimoresun.com, "Faithful take 'Rush Hour to Calvary' for Good Friday service," 30 Mar. 2018 Intimacy, Serafino declaims, is the lifeblood of her work. — Brennan Kilbane, Allure, "Meet Kristan Serafino, Hollywood’s Most Sought-After Groomer," 22 Mar. 2018 Issues are raised, debated and declaimed, often at the top of the cast's lungs. — Ricahrd S. Ginell, latimes.com, "Long Beach Opera raises life's questions, loudly, in Stewart Copeland's 'Invention of Morel'," 19 Mar. 2018

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