declaim

1
as in to speak
to give a formal often extended talk on a subject over the last two centuries some of the most illustrious personages of their times have declaimed in the town's historic lyceum

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2
as in to harangue
to talk as if giving an important and formal speech he declaimed at some length about the nation's obligation to spread democratic values around the world

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Example Sentences

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Recent Examples of declaim In his tableau-like compositions, with their classical-painterly lighting, his characters declaim, bringing a blunt candor to a refined and abstracted sensibility. Richard Brody, New Yorker, 26 Mar. 2025 Dugin could declaim on their work for hours, and did. James Verini, The New Yorker, 1 Mar. 2025 The Koreans have a lesson to share with those whose intellectuals, driven by identity and the metaphysics of difference, declaim ownership of the Enlightenment and its legacy. George Monastiriakos, Newsweek, 31 Dec. 2024 Keeping performers’ voices in good condition for that long haul is the province of a tribe of vocal coaches in Hollywood and everywhere else people sing or declaim for their supper. Jonathan Margolis, airmail.news, 21 Dec. 2024 See All Example Sentences for declaim
Recent Examples of Synonyms for declaim
Verb
  • Strictly speaking, the Democrats didn’t vote to end the shutdown.
    Jon Allsop, New Yorker, 11 Nov. 2025
  • Backstage later, Raw general manager Adam Pearce spoke about what just occurred with Punk, Jey, and Cody against The Vision.
    Matthew Couden, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • The tone was all the more remarkable because Desmond had previously spoken admiringly of Rodgers’ coaching capabilities and did not harangue him as supporters did when Rodgers abruptly left Celtic for Leicester City in 2019.
    Michael Walker, New York Times, 28 Oct. 2025
  • Truman would never have harangued the international community that America is First, or obstructed every effort to better the lot of humanity by asking what’s in it for the U.S., not in coming decades but during this news cycle.
    Andreas Kluth, Mercury News, 26 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • The same government that lectures Beijing about state capitalism and nonmarket behaviors now practices it at home.
    Veronique De Rugy, Oc Register, 23 Oct. 2025
  • But Andres Bernal, a political analyst who lectures at the City University of New York, thinks many young voters look at Cuomo's history of controversy and are reminded of the Democratic Party establishment that has left them disillusioned.
    Brian Mann, NPR, 22 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The Open Meeting Act prohibits directors from discussing (or orating) on matters not disclosed on the agenda, per Civil Code Section 4930(a).
    Kelly G. Richardson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 July 2025
  • The latter went on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert and orated about his marathon oration sesh last week in Congress.
    Bethy Squires, Vulture, 11 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Join our Space Forums to keep talking space on the latest missions, night sky and more!
    Daisy Dobrijevic, Space.com, 6 Nov. 2025
  • Kids aged 7 to 18 can also walk in for the shot without a prescription, as long as a parent or guardian gives consent and talks it over with the pharmacist.
    Evan Moore November 5, Charlotte Observer, 5 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • The cycle can become so accidentally ubiquitous that the former kids who blissfully existed outside of whatever discourses these trends or bands started in their heyday wonder now, as adults, what was so bad about them in the first place.
    Brittany Spanos, Rolling Stone, 21 July 2025
  • Admissions officers want to see that students will contribute meaningfully to discourse on campus.
    Christopher Rim, Forbes.com, 17 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Declaim.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/declaim. Accessed 17 Nov. 2025.

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