denounce

/diˈnaʊns/

//diˈnaʊns// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"denounce" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“denounce” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #21,181 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#21,181
frequency rank, English
8
letters
11
tracked misspellings
1
confusable pair

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To make known in a formal manner; to proclaim; to announce; to declare.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

denounce vs denounced
89% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for denounce
PropertyValue
Headworddenounce
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/diˈnaʊns/
Letters8
Frequency rank#21,181
Misspellings tracked11
Confusable pairs1
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “denounce” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). denounce lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for denounce is 8 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /diˈnaʊns/. Corpus data places it at rank #21,181 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 6 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 11 likely wrong-spelling variants for denounce, with forms such as "ddenounce", "dennounce", and "denonuce". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 1 confusable-pair relationship, "denounced", since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Old French denuncier, from Latin dēnūntiō (“to announce, to denounce, to threaten”), from de + nūntiō (“to announce, to report, to denounce”), from nūntius (“messenger, message”). Doublet of denunciate. The correct English form is denounce, spelled D-E-N-O-U-N-C-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To make known in a formal manner; to proclaim; to announce; to declare.
  2. 2
    To criticize or speak out against (someone or something); to point out as deserving of reprehension, etc.; to openly accuse or condemn in a threatening manner; to invoke censure upon; to stigmatize; to blame.
  3. 3
    To make a formal or public accusation against; to inform against; to accuse.
  4. 4
    To proclaim in a threatening manner; to threaten by some outward sign or expression; make a menace of.
  5. 5
    To announce the termination of; especially a treaty or armistice.
  6. 6
    To claim the right of working a mine that is abandoned or insufficiently worked.

Etymology

From Old French denuncier, from Latin dēnūntiō (“to announce, to denounce, to threaten”), from de + nūntiō (“to announce, to report, to denounce”), from nūntius (“messenger, message”). Doublet of denunciate.

This word in other languages

denunciar(Español)dénoncer(Français)verurteilen(Deutsch)denunciar(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ddenounce,dennounce,denonuce,denoucne,denouncce,denounec,denounnce,denuonce,deonunce,dneounce,ednounce

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of denounce - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

ddenounce1dennounce1denonuce2denoucne2denouncce1denounec2denounnce1denuonce2
Edit distance from "denounce"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "denounce"?
"denounce" is spelled D-E-N-O-U-N-C-E. The IPA pronunciation is /diˈnaʊns/.
What does "denounce" mean?
As a verb, "denounce" means: To make known in a formal manner; to proclaim; to announce; to declare.
What words are commonly confused with "denounce"?
"denounce" is commonly confused with "denounced". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "denounce"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "denounce" is /diˈnaʊns/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "denounce"?
From Old French denuncier, from Latin dēnūntiō (“to announce, to denounce, to threaten”), from de + nūntiō (“to announce, to report, to denounce”), from nūntius (“messenger, message”). Doublet of denunciate. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “denounce”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is D-E-N-O-U-N-C-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /diˈnaʊns/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “denounced” - see the side-by-side comparison. denounce vs denounced
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list