declare

verb de·clare \ di-ˈkler \

Definition of declare

declared; declaring

transitive verb

1 a :to make known formally, officially, or explicitly

publicly declared her opposition to the plan

b :to make known as a determination

The judge declared the defendant fit to stand trial.

She was declared the rightful heir to the throne.

2 obsolete :to make clear

3 :to make evident :show

a glimpse of his head in outline … declared his present state of mind
—Osbert Sitwell

4 :to state emphatically :affirm

declares his innocence

"You are quite a quiz, I do declare!"
—Charles Dickens

5 :to make a full statement of (one's taxable or dutiable property)

Large purchases must be declared at customs.

6 in card games

a :to make a bid or announcement naming (a trump suit or no-trump)

b :meld

7 :to make payable

declare a dividend

intransitive verb

1 :to make a declaration

poetry … evokes rather than merely declares
—C. S. Kilby

2 :to avow one's opinion or support

declaring for or against a candidate

3 :to announce one's intentions (as to run for political office)

declared for mayor

—

declarable

play \-ˈkler-ə-bəl\ adjective

See declare defined for English-language learners

See declare defined for kids

Examples of declare in a Sentence

The government has just declared a state of emergency.
He openly declared his love for her.
They failed to declare all of their earnings on their tax return.
Large purchases must be declared at customs.
Do you have anything to declare?

Recent Examples of declare from the Web

Under the constitution, in case of invasion or rebellion, when public safety requires it, the president can declare martial law for no more than 60 days.

— teresa cerojano, The Seattle Times, "Philippines’ Duterte asks Congress to extend martial law," 18 July 2017
Under the constitution, in case of invasion or rebellion, when public safety requires it, the president can declare martial law for no more than 60 days.

— Bloomberg.com, "Philippines' Duterte Asks Congress to Extend Martial Law," 18 July 2017
After 25 hours of deliberations, the jury can't agree on a verdict and a mistrial is declared.

— cameron knight, Cincinnati.com, "Timeline: Major events in the case of Ray Tensing," 18 July 2017
But predictably, another contingent has already vocally declared that the sci-fi series’s main character—a time-traveling alien who can appear as anything—simply cannot manifest mainly as a woman.

— vanityfair.com, "Shocker: Not Everyone Wants a Female Doctor Who, Jodie Whittaker Doesn’t Care," 17 July 2017
Before the case was handed off to the crimes against persons unit, and then declared a cold case, the Metro Squad interviewed the Raytown officer.

— shane sanderson, kansascity, "1974 case of teen burned alive had a suspect, but never an arrest," 16 July 2017
After Brazil was declared a republic in 1889, the Valongo site was used as a landfill and eventually a square was built over the wharf.

— angela helm, The Root, "Rio Wharf, Where More Than 900,000 Enslaved Africans Came to New World, Becomes UNESCO Heritage Site," 11 July 2017
Months before the first snap of the fall, the debate is on to declare this season’s Mt. Rushmore of Southern California high school quarterbacks.

— andrew turner, Daily Pilot, "O'Connor to Atencio connection takes Edison to Battle at the Beach semis," 8 July 2017
But the Facebook account for BiNorth Collection, which is claiming to sell the ensemble, has declared that the outfit is in fact blue and grey.

— sophie hirsh, Teen Vogue, "Nike Outfit Goes Viral as the New Dress Debate," 6 July 2017

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

Origin and Etymology of declare

Middle English, from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French declarer, from Latin declarare, from de- + clarare to make visible, from clarus clear — more at clear

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

See Words from the same year

declare Synonyms

Synonyms

advertise, annunciate, blare, blaze, blazon, broadcast, announce, enunciate, flash, give out, herald, placard, post, proclaim, promulgate, publicize, publish, release, sound, trumpet

Antonyms

deny, gainsay

Related Words

bark, call (off or out), cry; bill, billboard, bulletin, gazette [chiefly British]; knell, ring, toll; blurb, feature, pitch, plug, promote, puff; disseminate, spread; disclose, divulge, introduce, kithe [chiefly Scottish], manifest, report, reveal, show; advise, apprise, hand down, inform, notify; communicate, impart, intimate

Near Antonyms

conceal, hush (up), silence, suppress, withhold; recall, recant, retract, revoke

Synonym Discussion of declare

declare, announce, proclaim, promulgate mean to make known publicly. declare implies explicitness and usually formality in making known.

- the referee declared the contest a draw

announce implies the declaration of something for the first time.

- announced their engagement at a party

proclaim implies declaring clearly, forcefully, and authoritatively.

- the president proclaimed a national day of mourning

promulgate implies the proclaiming of a dogma, doctrine, or law.

- promulgated an edict of religious toleration

synonyms see in addition assert

DECLARE Defined for English Language Learners

declare

verb

Definition of declare for English Language Learners

: to say or state (something) in an official or public way
: to say (something) in a strong and confident way
: to tell the government about (money you have earned or received) in order to pay taxes

DECLARE Defined for Kids

declare

verb de·clare \ di-ˈkler \

Definition of declare for Students

declared; declaring

1 :to make known in a clear or formal way

The judges declared the race a tie.

2 :to state as if certain

“I look and smell,” Aunt Sponge declared, “as lovely as a rose!”
—Roald Dahl, James and the Giant Peach

Synonym Discussion of declare

declare, announce, and advertise mean to make known to the public. declare is used of something that is said very clearly and often in a formal manner.