denounce
Speak out against
To denounce is to publicly condemn or criticize harshly: She denounced the policy as racist, Human rights groups denounced the executions.
Denounce carries formal weight—you denounce corruption, tyranny, or injustice, not minor annoyances.
To denounce someone to authorities is to accuse or inform against them: He was denounced as a spy and arrested.
Judge unfavorably, vocally
- censureFormal institutional disapproval
- decryOpenly criticize harshly
- castigateReprimand severely
- rebukeExpress sharp disapproval
reprimand · excoriate · lambaste · berate · upbraid · admonish · chastise · vilify
Reject as having no authority
- disavowDeny any association
- rejectDismiss as unsuitable
- abjureSolemnly reject or recant
- recantFormally withdraw a statement
forsake · disclaim · disaffiliate · disinherit · apostasy · heretic · excommunicate · anathema
Assertion lacking proof
- indictmentFormal charge from jury
- chargeCost or accusation
- incriminateShow involvement in wrongdoing
- arraignFormally charge in court
implicate · testimony · evidence · guilty · defendant · trial · prosecution · accuser
One who betrays allegiance
- treacheryDeliberate violation of trust
- informantOne who provides intelligence
- turncoatOne who betrays allegiance
- defectorOne who abandons allegiance
snitch · rat · fink · expose · double-cross · disloyalty · betrayer · collaborator
Make known publicly
- corruptionDishonest abuse of power
- leakEscape through a breach
- disclosureAct of revealing information
- transparencyState of being see-through
accountability · misconduct · watchdog · whistleblower · reporting · uncover · reveal · scandal
criticize
Judge unfavorably, vocally
rebuke · reprimand · excoriate · lambaste · berate · upbraid · admonish · chastise · vilify · disparage
repudiate
Reject as having no authority
recant · forsake · disclaim · disaffiliate · disinherit · apostasy · heretic · excommunicate · anathema · ostracize
allegation
Assertion lacking proof
- indictmentFormal charge from jury
- chargeCost or accusation
- incriminateShow involvement in wrongdoing
arraign · implicate · testimony · evidence · guilty · defendant · trial · prosecution · accuser · informer
traitor
One who betrays allegiance
- treacheryDeliberate violation of trust
- informantOne who provides intelligence
- turncoatOne who betrays allegiance
defector · snitch · rat · fink · expose · double-cross · disloyalty · betrayer · collaborator · quisling
expose
Make known publicly
- corruptionDishonest abuse of power
- leakEscape through a breach
- disclosureAct of revealing information
transparency · accountability · misconduct · watchdog · whistleblower · reporting · uncover · reveal · scandal · cover-up
- accusationsaccusation, accuse, accuser, allegation, allege
- disapprovaldisapproval, scowl, disapprove, disapproves, frown
- judgmentsjudgment call, judge, moral judgment, criticize, value judgment
- SAT vocabularyaesthetic, ambiguous, benevolent, candid, concise
- scoldingscold, scolding, rebuke, berate, reprimand
- speaking upspeak up, speak out, speak freely, voice, give voice
denounced, denouncing, denounces, denouncer, denouncement, denouncers, denouncements, denounceable