1
as in to denounce
to declare to be morally wrong or evil
it is a sign of human progress that slavery, which was once legal in many places, is now universally condemned
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to criticize
to express one's unfavorable opinion of the worth or quality of
a report that condemns the working conditions in the factories of many developing countries
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to censure
to express public or formal disapproval of
the philosopher's works were once condemned by the church and placed on its list of forbidden books
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to convict
to find or pronounce guilty
the accused was condemned by the news media even before the trial began
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in to sentence
to impose a judicial punishment on
a stern judge who does not hesitate to condemn a felon to life behind bars
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 condemn
Researchers sometimes refer to these influences as permission structures, or social cues that signal whether certain behaviors are likely to be rewarded, ignored or condemned.
—
Maia Niguel Hoskin,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2026
The author — who first came under fire in 2020 for making remarks widely condemned as transphobic — has denied being transphobic, defending her views as pro-feminist.
—
Meredith Kile,
PEOPLE,
30 June 2026
Why won’t the State Police or the governor’s office come out and condemn this level of brutality?
—
Boston Herald Editorial Staff,
Boston Herald,
30 June 2026
Many advocacy organizations, meanwhile, condemned the court’s decision.
—
Chantelle Lee,
Time,
30 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for condemn
Maia Niguel Hoskin,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2026
The author — who first came under fire in 2020 for making remarks widely condemned as transphobic — has denied being transphobic, defending her views as pro-feminist.
—
Meredith Kile,
PEOPLE,
30 June 2026
Why won’t the State Police or the governor’s office come out and condemn this level of brutality?
—
Boston Herald Editorial Staff,
Boston Herald,
30 June 2026
Many advocacy organizations, meanwhile, condemned the court’s decision.
—
Chantelle Lee,
Time,
30 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for condemn
Recent Examples of Synonyms for condemn
Verb
-
Activists and faith leaders denounced the conditions at the office during a press conference the previous day, calling on officials to visit the facility and said there had been bad conditions at the facility for weeks.
-
Prosecutors call Hearn’s actions a deliberate, violent act causing more than $1,000 in damage, and his attorneys denounce the case as an alarming misuse of government power.
Verb
-
The program posed a massive political problem for Mamdani, who’s been criticized by both his allies and opponents for his stance.
-
While state studies have criticized the state’s education governance model, voters have rejected at least four attempts dating back to 1928 to reform the position.
Verb
-
Polis was censured by the Colorado Democratic Party in May as a result of his decision letting Peters out of prison.
-
The South Dakota Republican Party on Friday voted down a measure to censure Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) after the Senate failed to advance the SAVE America Act.
Verb
-
Police later caught up to Shockley at his father’s home in New Jersey, and he was arrested and convicted of murder.
-
Ten jurors were set to enter a not-guilty verdict for 29-year-old Rinderknecht, while two others were set on convicting him.
Verb
-
Ayaka’s swimming instructor was sentenced to four years in prison after being convicted of secretly photographing multiple child victims.
-
Cadenhead pleaded guilty to child exploitation charges and was sentenced to 80 years in federal prison.
Verb
-
Before the earthquakes, the government generally defended its national health system as robust, blaming shortcomings on sanctions imposed by the United States.
-
This ruling compels companies to confront systemic biases embedded in their hiring data, rather than solely blaming technology.
Verb
-
If these rotations fail to get results, will Spo take the blame or will fans forget his history and fault the player who is underperforming?
-
The lawsuit also faulted organizers for not ensuring attendees did not have weapons, tear gas or bear spray, for allowing attendees to enter the festival from multiple unmonitored points and for not imposing security measures after problems at previous events.
Verb
-
Catholic leaders in Florida argue that there are better ways to protect the public from violent crimes and in Spencer’s case, the availability of life without parole is a moral way to punish Spencer without taking his life.
-
And now she's been punished for it.
Cite this Entry
“Condemn.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/condemn. Accessed 4 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
