What does condemned mean?
"Condemned" describes someone or something that has been formally judged and found wanting — whether by a court, an inspector, or public opinion. As the past participle of "condemn," it appears wherever authority delivers a verdict: a prisoner may be condemned to death, a crumbling apartment block condemned as unsafe, or a government's actions condemned by the international community. The word carries a strong sense of finality and severity, implying not mere criticism but an official or decisive judgment with real consequences. Figuratively, it extends to fates imposed on people, as in "condemned to a life of exile." Rooted in the Latin damnare, meaning to pronounce judgment or inflict loss upon, it shares deep ancestry with words like "damn" and "damnation." Its weight makes it a staple of legal writing, news reporting, and drama alike.
Having been formally judged guilty and sentenced, or officially declared unfit for use.
"The court condemned him to life imprisonment for the crime."
Used with verbs like "be" or "have been" in passive constructions.
(especially of a building) officially declared unsafe or unsuitable for occupation or use.
"They were evicted from their condemned tenement before the winter set in."
Trace it back far enough and "condemned" shares a root with "damn" — both come from the Latin damnare, "to inflict loss upon."
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of condemned
"Condemned" derives from the Latin damnare, "to judge adversely" or "to inflict loss upon," combined with the intensive prefix com-/con-. The verb entered English through Old French condemner in the late Middle Ages, with the spelling influenced by Latin condemnare. It shares this root with "damn," "damnation," and "damage," all stemming from the Latin damnum, meaning loss or harm. The adjective use describing buildings declared unsafe developed from the legal sense of pronouncing something forfeit or unfit.
Related word forms
How condemned is actually used
"Condemned" carries strong connotations of finality and official judgment. In everyday speech it most often describes buildings declared unsafe, while its figurative use ("condemned to a life of obscurity") lends dramatic weight. It is slightly formal but common in journalism.
Easily confused with condemned
Contempt is the noun for scornful disregard, while condemned describes someone or something formally judged guilty or unfit.