Synonym Chooser

How does the verb promulgate differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of promulgate are announce, declare, and proclaim. While all these words mean "to make known publicly," promulgate implies the proclaiming of a dogma, doctrine, or law.

promulgated an edict of religious toleration

When is it sensible to use announce instead of promulgate?

In some situations, the words announce and promulgate are roughly equivalent. However, announce implies the declaration of something for the first time.

announced their engagement at a party

In what contexts can declare take the place of promulgate?

Although the words declare and promulgate have much in common, declare implies explicitness and usually formality in making known.

the referee declared the contest a draw

When can proclaim be used instead of promulgate?

The meanings of proclaim and promulgate largely overlap; however, proclaim implies declaring clearly, forcefully, and authoritatively.

the president proclaimed a national day of mourning

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 promulgate Additionally, the ever-changing rules and backroom guidance promulgated by obscure international bureaucrats are of concern. Paul Du Quenoy, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Mar. 2025 Federal law, as promulgated by the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, currently provides for tax credits of as high as $180 per ton of CO2 recovered and sequestered underground. Christopher Helman, Forbes.com, 29 Apr. 2025 Education laws, promulgated by Congress to ensure that every child in America has access, equality and opportunity for educational programs and services, must have a structure for oversight and enforcement. Patricia A. Daniel, Baltimore Sun, 13 Apr. 2025 Israel's Netanyahu to visit Hungary, defying International Criminal Court arrest warrant Hungary signed the ICC's founding document in 1999 and ratified it in 2001, but the law has not been promulgated. Reuters, USA Today, 3 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for promulgate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for promulgate
Verb
  • Source: The National Weather Service This story was originally published June 21, 2025 at 5:25 AM.
    NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 21 June 2025
  • Fox News Digital sent press queries to the White House and the U.S. State Department, seeking comment about the open letter published on Truth Social to President Trump.
    Benjamin Weinthal, FOXNews.com, 21 June 2025
Verb
  • The remaining eight starters for the All-Star Game will also be announced on Monday.
    Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 29 June 2025
  • As of June 2025, sources told Variety that Netflix currently has no plans to announce a Squid Game spinoff.
    Monica Mercuri, Forbes.com, 29 June 2025
Verb
  • The holiday marks the date in 1865 – more than two years after President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation – that Major General Gordon Granger and 2,000 Union Army troops came to Galveston Bay, Texas, to proclaim freedom for more than 250,000 enslaved Black people in the state.
    Phaedra Trethan, USA Today, 20 June 2025
  • In front of an excited crowd of Venezuelans in Miami in 2019, the president proclaimed that Maduro’s days were numbered.
    Gisela Salim-Peyer, The Atlantic, 20 June 2025
Verb
  • And the Justice Department warned that declaring the funding scheme unconstitutional would jeopardize many other programs.
    Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 28 June 2025
  • Jariwala was transported from her home in Andheri to a hospital, where she was declared dead by the doctors, Mumbai police told ANI, which reported that police received information about her death at around 1 a.m. local time.
    Kimberlee Speakman, People.com, 28 June 2025
Verb
  • Accredited veterans service organizations such as the VFW or the Legion will help vets free of charge, but private companies are advertising and posting online, trying to get vets to pay them for the same service.
    Quil Lawrence, NPR, 26 June 2025
  • Some companies don’t advertise their job openings, so ask around.
    Sho Dewan, Forbes.com, 26 June 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

“Promulgate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/promulgate. Accessed 3 Jul. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on promulgate

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!