proclaim

verb

pro·claim | \ prō-ˈklām

, prə-\

proclaimed; proclaiming; proclaims

Definition of proclaim

transitive verb

1a : to declare publicly, typically insistently, proudly, or defiantly and in either speech or writing : announce

b : to give outward indication of : show his manner proclaimed his genteel upbringing

2 : to declare or declare to be solemnly, officially, or formally proclaim an amnesty proclaim the country a republic

3 : to praise or glorify openly or publicly : extol proclaimed the rescue workers' efforts

Other Words from proclaim Synonyms Choose the Right Synonym Did You Know? More Example Sentences Learn More about proclaim

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Choose the Right Synonym for proclaim

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

Did You Know?

The pro- in proclaim means "forward, out", so a proclamation is an "outward" statement intended for the public. We often think of proclamations as something issued by monarchs or dictators, but Lincoln was able to issue his Emancipation Proclamation because as president he had the power to free the slaves in certain areas. At a slightly lower level, a governor may proclaim a day in honor of the state's firemen, a movie critic may proclaim a director to be the best of all, or you may proclaim your New Year's resolutions to a crowd of friends.

Examples of proclaim in a Sentence

She proclaimed that she will run for governor. The President proclaimed a national day of mourning. He took command of the government and proclaimed himself emperor. The magazine proclaimed him to be the best player in baseball. He proclaimed his love for her in a poem. His behavior proclaimed his good upbringing.

Recent Examples on the Web

Governor Jodi Rell officially proclaimed March 31, 2010 BRIAN BAKER DAY in the State of Connecticut to recognize his years of dedication. — courant.com, "Brian T. Baker," 15 June 2018 Like Demek and Ryan proclaimed, there would be no letdown the next time around, as the Vikings started on the right foot and finished emphatically to exact revenge on their rival Eagles, 10-5. — Kyle Mcfadden, Howard County Times, "Mt. Hebron girls lacrosse advances to region final with win over rival Centennial," 15 May 2018 It was announced on Twitter and also proclaimed in the forecourt of Buckingham Palace with a framed notice perched on a golden easel. — Sylvia Hui, The Seattle Times, "Prince charming: Kate gives birth to boy, home by suppertime," 23 Apr. 2018 The number really took off in the late 1980s when flyers were circulated at Dead concerts proclaiming 420 to be the password of stoner culture. — NBC News, "Pot holiday 4/20 traces roots to California high school stoners," 18 Apr. 2018 Papers plastered to the walls proclaim the official hashtags to be #sunstone and #funstone. — Sarah Scoles, Longreads, "Meet the New Mormons," 8 June 2018 Governor Rauner has proclaimed May 2018 as Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month. — Sue Kwong, Chicago Reader, "Race / Photography Photos celebrating Asian Pacific American Heritage Month in Chicago," 25 May 2018 Attorney General Jeff Sessions has proclaimed the end of Obama-era reforms which conciliated between civil-rights activists and police to yield a wave of law-enforcement reforms. — Jonathan Chait, Daily Intelligencer, "Most Unpatriotic President Ever Says Kneeling NFL Players ‘Shouldn’t Be in the Country’," 24 May 2018 Salvini proclaimed, drawing rousing cheers from League rank-and-file. — Washington Post, "Italy’s Salvini: EU election to be referendum on migration," 1 July 2018

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