declares; declared; declaring
1
: to say or state (something) in an official or public way
She publicly declared [=announced] her opposition to the plan.
The government has just declared a state of emergency.
The company was forced to declare bankruptcy. [=to formally say in a legal document that it was bankrupt]
He declared himself the winner. = He declared that he was the winner. = He declared victory.
2
: to say (something) in a strong and confident way
He still declares [=affirms, asserts] his innocence.
She declared [=announced] that she would not attend the party under any circumstances.
He openly declared his love for her.
3
a
: to tell the government about (money you have earned or received) in order to pay taxes
They failed to declare all of their earnings on their tax return.
b
: to list and show the cost of (something bought in a different country) so that you can pay taxes on it
Large purchases must be declared at customs.
Do you have anything to declare?
Cite this Entry
“Declare.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/declare. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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