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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of declaim
Does Joyce’s fellow drama kid Alan (Eric Wiegand) hoist a skull aloft and declaim some Shakespeare in a bad English accent?
—
Sara Holdren, Vulture, 23 Apr. 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
Oliveira films on location, with the actors in costume, declaiming in boldly theatrical tones that seem wrenched whole from the era of the play’s origins.
—Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 17 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for declaim
Sara Holdren, Vulture, 23 Apr. 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
Oliveira films on location, with the actors in costume, declaiming in boldly theatrical tones that seem wrenched whole from the era of the play’s origins.
—Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 17 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for declaim
Recent Examples of Synonyms for declaim
Verb
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Chelsea strongly believe that Gittens can be a success at the club, and Rosenior has spoken about him positively.—
Cerys Jones,
New York Times,
28 Feb. 2026
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For decades, the Grimmer family never spoke about Cheryl.—
Hilary Whiteman,
CNN Money,
28 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Most presidents have treated it as a chance to note their accomplishments, to harangue Congress into supporting their priorities, and to speak to the American people.—
Tom Nichols,
The Atlantic,
25 Feb. 2026
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After haranguing the receptionist, he was eventually granted a 15-minute audience with Fujita, who advised his teenage devotee to focus on future technologies like computers.—
Charlie Campbell,
Time,
24 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Assistive listening studies report that bypassing room acoustics and delivering audio directly can improve signal‑to‑noise ratios by 15–20 dB, making announcements comprehensible and lectures clearer [8].—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
26 Feb. 2026
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That includes lecturing, building curriculum, pursuing research and speaking about university policy.—
Cate Charron,
IndyStar,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
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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
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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
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Senate Majority Leader John Thune said the Senate GOP is not united on forcing Democrats to commit to a talking filibuster to pass the voter ID bill.—
Burgess Everett,
semafor.com,
2 Mar. 2026
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But the state now publishes legislative data through a public application programming interface — essentially the tool that lets apps talk to each other.—
Matt Wing,
New York Daily News,
2 Mar. 2026
Verb
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From the whitewashing controversy to the toxic love to the daring costumes, the discourse is going to be discoursing.—
Kathleen Newman-Bremang,
Refinery29,
13 Feb. 2026
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All the while, discourse around the television series has formed a buzzy backdrop to the sale.—
Lilah Ramzi,
Vogue,
13 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Declaim.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/declaim. Accessed 6 Mar. 2026.
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