declare

If you declare victory, you are ending a war by saying you have won. Hopefully, the other side agrees, or your troops might declare you a fool. To declare is to state clearly and officially.

In elections, the government body that counts the votes declares the winner. Until the declaration is made, the results are not official. When you are traveling, you might be asked if you have anything to declare. You're not being asked for a statement of your beliefs, rather they want to know if you bought anything taxable abroad. If you hear your grandmother say, "Well, I declare!" you can be sure she is shocked and offended.

Definitions of declare
1

v state emphatically and authoritatively

“He declared that he needed more money to carry out the task he was charged with”
Types:
show 44 types...
hide 44 types...
plead
enter a plea, as in courts of law
profess
confess one's faith in, or allegiance to
condemn
declare or judge unfit for use or habitation
bless, consecrate, hallow, sanctify
render holy by means of religious rites
account, answer for
furnish a justifying analysis or explanation
advise, propose, suggest
make a proposal, declare a plan for something
assure, promise
make a promise or commitment
promise
promise to undertake or give
take the Fifth, take the Fifth Amendment
refuse to testify by invoking the Fifth Amendment, which states that nobody may be forced to testify as a witness against himself or herself
condemn, doom, sentence
pronounce a sentence on (somebody) in a court of law
exclaim, proclaim, promulgate
state or announce
profess
state freely
affirm, assert, aver, avow, swan, swear, verify
declare or affirm solemnly and formally as true
depone, depose, swear
make a deposition; declare under oath
attest, bear witness, take the stand, testify
give testimony in a court of law
decree
issue a decree
animadvert, opine, sound off, speak out, speak up
express one's opinion openly and without fear or hesitation
count out
declare the loser
hold
assert or affirm
ordain
issue an order
claim, take
lay claim to; as of an idea
attest
authenticate; affirm to be true, genuine, or correct, as in an official capacity
boo, hiss
show displeasure, as after a performance or speech
explode
drive from the stage by noisy disapproval
reconsecrate
consecrate anew, as after a desecration
advocate, recommend, urge
push for something
advance, throw out
bring forward for consideration or acceptance
proposition
suggest sex to
feed back
respond to a query or outcome
posit, put forward, state, submit
put before
make a motion, move
propose formally; in a debate or parliamentary meeting
pledge, plight
promise solemnly and formally
swear off
promise to abstain from
contract, undertake
enter into a contractual arrangement
guarantee, undertake
promise to do or accomplish
foredoom
doom beforehand
trumpet
proclaim on, or as if on, a trumpet
clarion
proclaim on, or as if on, a clarion
protest
affirm or avow formally or solemnly
vouch
give personal assurance; guarantee
assure, tell
inform positively and with certainty and confidence
editorialise, editorialize
insert personal opinions into an objective statement
reprobate
abandon to eternal damnation
enact, ordain
order by virtue of superior authority; decree
Type of:
say, state, tell
express in words

v state firmly

“He declared that he was innocent”
Type of:
affirm, assert, aver, avow, swan, swear, verify
declare or affirm solemnly and formally as true

v declare to be

“She was declared incompetent”
Synonyms:
adjudge, hold
Types:
show 31 types...
hide 31 types...
acknowledge, admit
declare to be true or admit the existence or reality or truth of
superannuate
declare to be obsolete
bastardise, bastardize
declare a child to be illegitimate
certify
declare legally insane
call
declare in the capacity of an umpire or referee
beatify
declare (a dead person) to be blessed; the first step of achieving sainthood
canonise, canonize, saint
declare (a dead person) to be a saint
judge, label, pronounce
pronounce judgment on
cancel, strike down
declare null and void; make ineffective
formalise, formalize
make formal or official
ritualise, ritualize
make or evolve into a ritual
attorn
acknowledge a new land owner as one's landlord
write off
concede the loss or worthlessness of something or somebody
annul, countermand, lift, overturn, repeal, rescind, reverse, revoke, vacate
cancel officially
make no bones about
acknowledge freely and openly
sustain
admit as valid
concede, confess, profess
admit (to a wrongdoing)
confess
confess to God in the presence of a priest, as in the Catholic faith
confess, fink, squeal
confess to a punishable or reprehensible deed, usually under pressure
avouch, avow
admit openly and bluntly; make no bones about
acquit, assoil, clear, discharge, exculpate, exonerate
pronounce not guilty of criminal charges
convict
find or declare guilty
tout
advertise in strongly positive terms
find, rule
decide on and make a declaration about
qualify
pronounce fit or able
disqualify
declare unfit
remit
release from (claims, debts, or taxes)
intonate, intone
speak carefully, as with rising and falling pitch or in a particular tone
write off
cancel (a debt)
annul, avoid, invalidate, nullify, quash, void
declare invalid
recall
make unavailable; bar from sale or distribution
Type of:
evaluate, judge, pass judgment
form a critical opinion of

v announce publicly or officially

“The President declared war”
Synonyms:
announce
Types:
promulgate
put a law into effect by formal declaration
Type of:
say, state, tell
express in words

v proclaim one's support, sympathy, or opinion for or against

“His wife declared at once for moving to the West Coast”
Type of:
exclaim, proclaim, promulgate
state or announce

v authorize payments of

“declare dividends”
Type of:
authorise, authorize, clear, pass
grant authorization or clearance for

v make a declaration (of dutiable goods) to a customs official

“Do you have anything to declare?”
Type of:
say, state, tell
express in words

v designate (a trump suit or no-trump) with the final bid of a hand

Type of:
play
put (a card or piece) into play during a game, or act strategically as if in a card game

Sign up, it's free!

Whether you're a student, an educator, or a lifelong learner, Vocabulary.com can put you on the path to systematic vocabulary improvement.