Denounce
mediumNegative tonedih-NOWNSS
verb
Definition
To publicly declare to be wrong or evil; condemn
Memory hook
DE-NOUNCE: Publicly announce someone is bad -- like a royal DENUNCIATION.
Word roots
Learning roots unlocks whole word families. Study common GRE root words.
Examples
“The organization denounced the government's human rights violations.”
“He publicly denounced corruption in the industry.”
Test yourself
Fill in the blank with the right word:
“The organization ______ the government's human rights violations.”
Show answer
denounced
Categories
GRE Tip
Denounce is a medium-difficulty GRE word. On the GRE, you might see it paired with synonyms like "condemn" or "censure" in Sentence Equivalence questions. Look for contrast clues (however, despite, although) that signal the opposite meaning. Words like "praise".
Related GRE Words
decry
To publicly denounce or criticize
berate
To scold or criticize someone angrily and at length
censure
To express severe disapproval of someone or something, especially in a formal statement
chastise
To rebuke or reprimand severely; to punish
lambaste
To criticize harshly; to berate
reproach
To express disapproval or disappointment; censure
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