denounce Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. verb speak out against
    • He denounced the Nazis
  2. verb to accuse or condemn or openly or formally or brand as disgraceful
    stigmatise; brand; stigmatize; mark.
    • He denounced the government action
    • She was stigmatized by society because she had a child out of wedlock
  3. verb announce the termination of, as of treaties
  4. verb give away information about somebody
    shop; give away; tell on; stag; rat; betray; snitch; grass; shit.
    • He told on his classmate who had cheated on the exam

WordNet

De*nounce" transitive verb
Etymology
F. dénoncer, OF. denoncier, fr. L. denuntiare, denunciare; de- + nunciare, nuntiare, to announce, report, nuntius a messenger, message. See Nuncio, and cf. Denunciate.
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Denounced ; present participle & verbal noun Denouncing
Definitions
  1. To make known in a solemn or official manner; to declare; to proclaim (especially an evil). Obs.
    Denouncing wrath to come. Milton.
    I denounce unto you this day, that ye shall surely perish. Deut. xxx. 18.
  2. To proclaim in a threatening manner; to threaten by some outward sign or expression.
    His look denounced desperate. Milton.
  3. To point out as deserving of reprehension or punishment, etc.; to accuse in a threatening manner; to invoke censure upon; to stigmatize.
    Denounced for a heretic. Sir T. More.
    To denounce the immoralities of Julius Cæsar. Brougham.

Webster 1913