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Synonym Chooser

How does the verb denounce differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of denounce are censure, condemn, criticize, reprehend, and reprobate. While all these words mean "to find fault with openly," denounce adds to condemn the implication of a public declaration.

a pastoral letter denouncing abortion

When would censure be a good substitute for denounce?

While the synonyms censure and denounce are close in meaning, censure carries a strong suggestion of authority and of reprimanding.

a Senator formally censured by his peers

When can condemn be used instead of denounce?

While in some cases nearly identical to denounce, condemn usually suggests an unqualified and final unfavorable judgment.

condemned the government's racial policies

Where would criticize be a reasonable alternative to denounce?

In some situations, the words criticize and denounce are roughly equivalent. However, criticize implies finding fault especially with methods or policies or intentions.

criticized the police for using violence

When is reprehend a more appropriate choice than denounce?

Although the words reprehend and denounce have much in common, reprehend implies both criticism and severe rebuking.

reprehends the self-centeredness of today's students

When might reprobate be a better fit than denounce?

The meanings of reprobate and denounce largely overlap; however, reprobate implies strong disapproval or firm refusal to sanction.

reprobated his son's unconventional lifestyle

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 denounce The cases were largely led by the commanding figure of Justice Alexandre de Moraes, appointed to the court by a conservative president in 2017, whose stance against Bolsonaro and his allies was celebrated by the left and denounced by the right as political persecution. Ricardo Brito, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2025 The Professor Watchlist has been denounced by faculty associations as a blacklist that chills academic freedom. Stephanie A, The Conversation, 11 Sep. 2025 He was dismissed from the show that March after publicly denouncing series creator Chuck Lorre, and Kutcher was officially named as his replacement in May. Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 11 Sep. 2025 The network previously denounced the comments Dowd made on the air. Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 11 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for denounce
Recent Examples of Synonyms for denounce
Verb
  • Republicans were unfazed by Democrats threatening to withhold their votes, accusing them of hypocrisy for condemning GOP efforts to win policy concessions in past funding battles.
    Ramsey Touchberry, The Washington Examiner, 17 Sep. 2025
  • Human rights groups, citing concerns over forced confessions, have condemned a wave of hundreds of arrests and warned that the government is using the June conflict as a pretext to escalate repression.
    Robert Birsel, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • More generally, the Nepalese public criticized the government’s measures disproportionate impact on ordinary users.
    Nir Kshetri, The Conversation, 14 Sep. 2025
  • In the wake of Charlie Kirk's assassination, Republicans on Sunday criticized some Democrats, suggesting language used by them contributed to Kirk's killing, claims that Democrats rejected.
    Lalee Ibssa, ABC News, 14 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Peery has been censured by a Commission of Presbytery.
    Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 4 Sep. 2025
  • The move to essentially censure Baz’s body inflamed an already contentious debate about the public scrutiny over women’s bodies.
    Elisabeth Sherman, Parents, 3 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Delta blames a global IT outage last summer for its performance problems.
    Christopher Elliott, Forbes.com, 14 Sep. 2025
  • The author compromises our trust in his appeal — likely unconsciously — by his blaming only one side.
    U T Readers, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Many members of the Venezuelan opposition, Straka said, have long relished calling out government supporters for treating Hugo Chávez, Maduro’s predecessor, as a messiah, but they can be faulted for believing, with similar fervor, that American salvation is coming.
    Gisela Salim-Peyer, The Atlantic, 12 Sep. 2025
  • Adapting this chaos‑engineering philosophy through recovery drills, fault injection and regular testing exposes hidden dependencies and builds confidence.
    Mukul Garg, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • San Juan Unified School District Trustee Nick Bloise was formally reprimanded by the board in relation to his behavior during a school site visit.
    Jennah Pendleton, Sacbee.com, 11 Sep. 2025
  • Geier, who has a bachelor’s degree in biology, has also been reprimanded by the Maryland Board of Physicians for practicing medicine without a medical license.
    Sarah Owermohle, CNN Money, 4 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • The city of Grants Pass, Oregon, had punished people using camping paraphernalia like blankets or pillows while sleeping outside.
    Idaho Statesman, Idaho Statesman, 11 Sep. 2025
  • But even this nod to forgiveness is relatively punishing, since the health refill freezes your character in a defenseless pose for a few seconds.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 11 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Denounce.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/denounce. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on denounce

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