What does announce mean?
To announce is to make something publicly and formally known — to declare news, plans, decisions, or arrivals to an audience. The word carries an inherently official flavor: it suggests deliberate disclosure rather than casual mention, which is why it dominates headlines about corporate mergers, government policies, product launches, and engagements. Announce is most commonly used transitively, taking either a direct object ('announce the results') or a that-clause ('announce that prices will rise'). It can also describe introducing someone's arrival, as when a host announces a guest. Derived forms include announcement (the statement itself), announcer (a person who presents information, as on radio), and announced/announcing. Because it implies publicity, announce contrasts naturally with verbs of concealment such as withhold or suppress. Its long history traces back to the Latin nuntiare, 'to report as a messenger,' making it kin to denounce, pronounce, and renounce — all words about delivering messages aloud.
verbTo make a formal or public statement about something, especially to declare news or information officially to an audience.
- To make a formal public statement declaring news, plans, or information.
- To state the arrival of a person or thing, especially in advance (e.g., announcing guests).
"The company announced its plans to expand into European markets at the annual shareholders' meeting."
"The government announced a new policy on renewable energy on Monday morning."
"A hushed voice announced the arrival of the ambassador."
Announce and denounce come from the same Latin root — nuntiare, 'to report as a messenger' — so announcing good news and denouncing bad news are literally two sides of the same ancient coin.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of announce
Announce derives from the Latin verb nuntiare, meaning 'to report or proclaim as a messenger,' combined with the prefix ad-, giving adnuntiare. It entered English in the early modern period (around the late 15th to early 16th century) via Old French anoncier. Its sibling terms — denounce, pronounce, and renounce — share the same Latin root, all built around the idea of delivering a message publicly. The related noun nuncio, a papal envoy, preserves the original messenger sense directly.
Related word forms
How announce is actually used
Announce is neutral in register but often carries a formal or official tone; it typically implies deliberate, planned disclosure rather than casual mention. It is frequently used for institutional statements (companies, governments, organizations) rather than personal conversation.
Easily confused with announce
Pronounce means to say or utter words aloud (or to formally declare a judgment), while announce means to make news or information publicly known.
Denounce means to publicly condemn or criticize something, whereas announce means to publicly reveal or declare it.