# denouncing

/dɪˈnaʊnsɪŋ/ (US) · /dɪnˈaʊnsɪŋ/ (UK) · CEFR C1 · Verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/denouncing
Updated: 2026-05-09

## Definition

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.

For teachers: 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.

## Pitfalls

- Not "They were denouncing about the policy." but "They were denouncing the policy." — Denounce is a transitive verb and does not take the preposition 'about'.

## Usage notes

- 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.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.