Synonym Chooser

How is the word avow distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of avow are affirm, assert, declare, and protest. While all these words mean "to state positively usually in anticipation of denial or objection," avow stresses frank declaration and acknowledgment of personal responsibility for what is declared.

avowed that all investors would be repaid in full

When might affirm be a better fit than avow?

The synonyms affirm and avow are sometimes interchangeable, but affirm implies conviction based on evidence, experience, or faith.

affirmed the existence of an afterlife

Where would assert be a reasonable alternative to avow?

Although the words assert and avow have much in common, assert implies stating confidently without need for proof or regard for evidence.

asserted that modern music is just noise

When would declare be a good substitute for avow?

In some situations, the words declare and avow are roughly equivalent. However, declare stresses open or public statement.

declared her support for the candidate

When could protest be used to replace avow?

The words protest and avow can be used in similar contexts, but protest emphasizes affirming in the face of denial or doubt.

protested that he really had been misquoted

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of avow Rather, Israel is fighting a war against a brutal enemy that seized hostages in a surprise massacre, cloaks itself among its civilian population, and avows the destruction of Israel as its inalterable goal. The Editors, National Review, 11 June 2025 The first trailer for the film that will premiere on Hulu/Disney+ on June 27 features testimonials from avowed superfan Paramore singer Hayley Williams, as well as Tool’s Maynard James Keenan and late producer/engineer Steve Albini. Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 3 June 2025 One of her harshest critics on the left was Angela Davis, a Black militant and avowed Communist. Katharine Q. Seelye, New York Times, 26 May 2025 Jelly Roll has long been a loud, avowed Eminem fan. Brian McCollum, USA Today, 20 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for avow
Recent Examples of Synonyms for avow
Verb
  • Yet Huang insists the skeptics are missing the deeper forces reshaping the economy.
    Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 29 Sep. 2025
  • Advertisement As a result, civil rights leaders insisted that the pursuit of equality depended on freedom for unpopular speech.
    Time, Time, 29 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Following Milwaukee's August storms, over 50 properties were declared uninhabitable.
    Tamia Fowlkes, jsonline.com, 6 Oct. 2025
  • The city of Fayetteville declared a housing crisis in the city in April 2024.
    Juan Cordoba, Arkansas Online, 5 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Police also allege Jonathan Arfsten, 49, took copper from two other closed Pick ‘n Save locations in Milwaukee and one in Glendale.
    Erik S. Hanley, jsonline.com, 6 Oct. 2025
  • In early September, Jakarta police alleged that some TikTok users purposefully broadcast live during the violence to entice viewers into giving them gifts or virtual prizes that can be exchanged for cash.
    Chad de Guzman, Time, 6 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Watching your character confront Giuliano and attempt to profess her innocence once again was intense.
    Giana Levy, Variety, 1 Oct. 2025
  • Warning signs, per federal guidance, can include someone quickly professing love, claiming to live far away, requests to move conversations to other apps and having bad grammar.
    Zachary Schermele, USA Today, 24 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Scammers will call or text consumers claiming to be a legitimate institution, such as a bank or a government institution.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 4 Oct. 2025
  • Eight unoccupied houses were claimed by roaring Atlantic surf this week on the Outer Banks — a 200-mile ribbon of barrier islands on the North Carolina coast — as Hurricane Humberto and Hurricane Imelda passed offshore.
    Janet Loehrke, USA Today, 4 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Now’s the time to assert yourself and revel in your victories.
    Victoria Edel, PEOPLE, 4 Oct. 2025
  • Gray asserted his authority with blunt force.
    Douglas M. Charles, The Conversation, 3 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Add in Michigan, USC and Minnesota, and well over half the league still has a shot at contending for a CFP spot.
    Scott Dochterman, New York Times, 29 Sep. 2025
  • Next week sees the release of several titles that have a decent shot of contending for the box office crown against One Battle After Another.
    Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 28 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Her early essays, written through a Marxian lens, proclaimed revolutionary socialism as justice’s true path.
    Shai Tubali, Big Think, 30 Sep. 2025
  • This call to action, this call to love, this call for empathy, acknowledging each other's humanity both intra-community and for those who proclaim allyship.
    Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Avow.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/avow. Accessed 7 Oct. 2025.

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