DECLARE Synonyms: 169 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

declare

verb

di-ˈkler

Definition of declare next

as in to announce

to make known openly or publicly she chose to declare her presidential aspirations at her college alma mater

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to insist

to state as a fact usually forcefully she would declare her innocence to the whole world if she could

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as in to assert

to state clearly and strongly our guest enthusiastically declared that the pie was the best he had ever eaten

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as in to reveal

to make known (something abstract) through outward signs though she was silent, her expression declared her unwillingness to go along with the others

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 Home gardeners, designers, and growers alike have all found the Ficus to be worthy of a crowning moment in 2026, with the National Garden Bureau even declaring it the year of the Ficus. —

Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 1 Feb. 2026 Pasquantino declared a full bill of health on Saturday. —

Kansas City Star, 1 Feb. 2026 Hamnet Months ago, my colleague Joe Reid planted a flag and declared Hamnet the early favorite for this year’s Oscar villain. —

Nate Jones, Vulture, 31 Jan. 2026 When Mexico’s Supreme Court declared that ban unconstitutional, López Obrador pushed for a constitutional amendment, which passed in January 2025 under his successor, President Claudia Sheinbaum. —

María Verza, Fortune, 31 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for declare

Recent Examples of Synonyms for declare

Verb

The Department of Homeland Security announced the termination of TPS designation for immigrants from multiple countries, including Honduras, Nepal and South Sudan, though federal judges have stymied many of those efforts.

— Tami Luhby, CNN Money, 1 Feb. 2026
The New Federal Theatre (NFT), his company dedicated to amplifying the voices of Black and other underrepresented artists, announced that King died of complications from emergency heart surgery on Thursday at Weill Cornell Medical Center in New York City.

— Glenn Garner, Deadline, 31 Jan. 2026

Definition of announce

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declarations

declare

declared

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“Declare.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/declare. Accessed 2 Feb. 2026.

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Last Updated: 2 Feb 2026 - Updated example sentences

Synonyms of declare

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