English Reference

Word

denouncing

Phoneticsde·nounc·ing

US/dɪˈnaʊnsɪŋ/

UK/dɪnˈaʊnsɪŋ/

Definition

v. to publicly state that someone or something is bad, wrong, or evil. You use this when a leader or a group wants to show they strongly disagree with an action.

v. to publicly declare something to be wrong, evil, or worthy of condemnation. Often used in political or legal contexts to signal formal disapproval of an action or ideology.

Examples

“The president is denouncing the recent violence in the city.”

“Human rights groups are denouncing the new law, claiming it unfairly targets minority communities.”

“By denouncing the treaty in such a public forum, the diplomat effectively ended years of careful negotiation and signaled a shift toward isolationism.”

Examples

simple

“The president is denouncing the recent violence in the city.”

contextual

“Human rights groups are denouncing the new law, claiming it unfairly targets minority communities.”

complex

“By denouncing the treaty in such a public forum, the diplomat effectively ended years of careful negotiation and signaled a shift toward isolationism.”

Usage

The verb is transitive and requires a direct object. It is the present participle form of 'denounce', often used in continuous tenses or as a gerund.

Pitfall

They were denouncing about the policy.

They were denouncing the policy.

Denounce is a transitive verb and does not take the preposition 'about'.

Real-World Examples

“Hamas issued a statement following Tuesday’s attack, denouncing it as a “blatant disregard for all calls for a ceasefire issued by mediators and guarantor states”.”
Al Jazeera · 18 Aug 2026
“Experts appointed by the UN Human Rights Council on Friday called for Singapore to impose an immediate moratorium on capital punishment, denouncing the Government’s continued use of the death penalty for drug-related crimes.”
UN News · 18 Aug 2026
“Pyongyang has previously rebuffed Lee's offers of engagement, criticising a deal for the US to build South Korea a fleet of nuclear-powered submarines and denouncing joint drills between the two allies.”
BBC News · 15 Aug 2026

This entry

Level
C1 · Advanced
Frequency
Occasional
Updated

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English Reference