declare

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Synonym Chooser

How does the verb declare differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of declare are announce, proclaim, and promulgate. While all these words mean "to make known publicly," declare implies explicitness and usually formality in making known.

the referee declared the contest a draw

Where would announce be a reasonable alternative to declare?

The meanings of announce and declare largely overlap; however, announce implies the declaration of something for the first time.

announced their engagement at a party

When might proclaim be a better fit than declare?

While the synonyms proclaim and declare are close in meaning, proclaim implies declaring clearly, forcefully, and authoritatively.

the president proclaimed a national day of mourning

In what contexts can promulgate take the place of declare?

The words promulgate and declare can be used in similar contexts, but promulgate implies the proclaiming of a dogma, doctrine, or law.

promulgated an edict of religious toleration

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 declare One pilot was declared dead at Pioneers Memorial Hospital in Brawley, California. Jordan King, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Oct. 2025 MiuMiu practically declared the satin ballet flat the it-fall shoe back in 2022, sending models down the runway in various color combos of their dainty flats with warm chunky socks. Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 18 Oct. 2025 Upon the basis of these findings, Congress declares that the constitutional right of citizens to vote is denied or abridged in some areas by the requirement of the payment of a poll tax as a precondition to voting. JSTOR Daily, 17 Oct. 2025 Barrymore declared, before miming eating Anderson’s toes. Emlyn Travis, Entertainment Weekly, 17 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for declare
Recent Examples of Synonyms for declare
Verb
  • Her death was announced by General Hospital's executive producer Frank Valentini on the show's Instagram page earlier this year.
    Liza Esquibias, PEOPLE, 18 Oct. 2025
  • Mercedes, which has won eight Constructors’ Championships and nine Drivers’ Championships, announced on Wednesday the team would stick with the pairing for the 2026 season.
    Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 18 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Daniels insisted the impact of the shutdown on air traffic controllers was not just insular and would continue to impact the aviation sector and broader American economy.
    Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 20 Oct. 2025
  • But the question, as Stephanopoulos kept insisting, was not about whether this rose to the level of criminality.
    Ruth Marcus, New Yorker, 20 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Pritzker has been trying to debunk claims that Chicago is an out-of-control hellhole; to assert in court that the federal government has no right to send in federal troops; and to discredit the tactics by immigration agents to arrest migrants in his state’s streets and businesses.
    Ben Smith, semafor.com, 20 Oct. 2025
  • Scholar Mary Jane Edwards is one who asserts the book’s primacy.
    JSTOR Daily, JSTOR Daily, 18 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • However, with the rise of complex multi-physics scenarios in new energy, smart vehicles, and semiconductors in recent years, legacy CAE architectures have begun to reveal their limitations.
    Ni Tao, Interesting Engineering, 21 Oct. 2025
  • According to the Associated Press, Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods revealed that deputies responded to at least six incidents between the two women from January 2021 through June 2023.
    Allison DeGrushe, Entertainment Weekly, 20 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • In 2021, then-President Joe Biden proclaimed that Indigenous Peoples Day would be celebrated on the second Monday in October, though the holiday was never officially changed.
    Peter D'Abrosca, FOXNews.com, 13 Oct. 2025
  • Many pundits mistakenly proclaimed the direct-to-consumer option would only benefit the uninsured and not help the majority of Americans who have private insurance coverage with prescription drug coverage.
    Bobby Jindal, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • In the memoir, Federline claimed that he was awarded $20,000 per month in child support for their two sons.
    Charna Flam, PEOPLE, 18 Oct. 2025
  • Could the novel claim the title of the first Canadian novel when Canada wasn’t even Canada yet?
    JSTOR Daily, JSTOR Daily, 18 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Each member of the Sony Columbia group took it in turn to introduce themselves, and everyone professed their love of working on the release of Django Unchained for Sony Columbia Pictures.
    Jay Glennie, Deadline, 16 Oct. 2025
  • Matt Rhule professed his love for living and working in Nebraska and trying to return the Cornhuskers to the upper echelon of college football.
    Eric Olson, Denver Post, 13 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • This video will not be displayed at Westchester County Airport.
    Jasmine Laws, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Oct. 2025
  • Airports pick a side TSA owns and operates some of the video monitors at airports which have been added to try to expedite the screening process by displaying reminders and sometimes include DHS messages.
    Alexandra Skores, CNN Money, 14 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Declare.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/declare. Accessed 21 Oct. 2025.

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