proclaim

verb

pro·​claim prō-ˈklām How to pronounce proclaim (audio)
prə-
proclaimed; proclaiming; proclaims

transitive verb

1
a
: to declare publicly, typically insistently, proudly, or defiantly and in either speech or writing : announce
b
: to give outward indication of : show
his manner proclaimed his genteel upbringing
2
: to declare or declare to be solemnly, officially, or formally
proclaim an amnesty
proclaim the country a republic
3
: to praise or glorify openly or publicly : extol
proclaimed the rescue workers' efforts
proclaimer noun

Did you know?

The pro- in proclaim means "forward, out", so a proclamation is an "outward" statement intended for the public. We often think of proclamations as something issued by monarchs or dictators, but Lincoln was able to issue his Emancipation Proclamation because as president he had the power to free the slaves in certain areas. At a slightly lower level, a governor may proclaim a day in honor of the state's firemen, a movie critic may proclaim a director to be the best of all, or you may proclaim your New Year's resolutions to a crowd of friends.

Choose the Right Synonym for proclaim

declare, announce, proclaim, promulgate mean to make known publicly.

declare implies explicitness and usually formality in making known.

the referee declared the contest a draw

announce implies the declaration of something for the first time.

announced their engagement at a party

proclaim implies declaring clearly, forcefully, and authoritatively.

the president proclaimed a national day of mourning

promulgate implies the proclaiming of a dogma, doctrine, or law.

promulgated an edict of religious toleration

Examples of proclaim in a Sentence

She proclaimed that she will run for governor. The President proclaimed a national day of mourning. He took command of the government and proclaimed himself emperor. The magazine proclaimed him to be the best player in baseball. He proclaimed his love for her in a poem. His behavior proclaimed his good upbringing.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In front of an excited crowd of Venezuelans in Miami in 2019, the president proclaimed that Maduro’s days were numbered. Gisela Salim-Peyer, The Atlantic, 20 June 2025 The holiday marks the date in 1865 – more than two years after President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation – that Major General Gordon Granger and 2,000 Union Army troops came to Galveston Bay, Texas, to proclaim freedom for more than 250,000 enslaved Black people in the state. Phaedra Trethan, USA Today, 20 June 2025 More Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images Kennedy's 2012 majority opinion could also be linked to the clash between the current White House and Democratic states, counties, and cities which either proclaim to be, or have been branded as, sanctuary jurisdictions. Dan Gooding, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 June 2025 In 2021, the day was proclaimed a federal holiday when President Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act into law, officially recognizing Juneteenth as the day commemorating the end of slavery. Essence, 16 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for proclaim

Word History

Etymology

Middle English proclamen, from Anglo-French or Latin; Anglo-French proclamer, from Latin proclamare, from pro- before + clamare to cry out — more at pro-, claim

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of proclaim was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Proclaim.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/proclaim. Accessed 24 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

proclaim

verb
pro·​claim prō-ˈklām How to pronounce proclaim (audio)
1
: to announce publicly
proclaimed his innocence
2
: to declare formally
proclaim a holiday
proclaimer noun

Legal Definition

proclaim

transitive verb
pro·​claim prō-ˈklām How to pronounce proclaim (audio)
: to declare or declare to be solemnly, officially, or formally
proclaim an amnesty

More from Merriam-Webster on proclaim

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