What does declare mean?
To declare is to state something clearly, openly, and often with formal authority. It is stronger than simply saying or announcing: declaring implies conviction, ceremony, or official weight, whether one declares love, declares war, or declares bankruptcy. The word spans everyday speech and high-stakes institutions — governments declare states of emergency, companies declare dividends, and travellers declare goods at customs — while in cricket it names the deliberate ending of an innings. Its Latin roots, meaning literally "to make clear," explain its enduring sense of removing doubt through open statement. Because it signals seriousness and finality, writers reach for declare when they want a statement to sound definitive rather than casual, making it a versatile and forceful verb across formal writing, law, finance, and public life.
verbTo state openly, formally, or emphatically that something is true or the case; to make a formal or official announcement, such as declaring war, a dividend, or one's income.
- To state formally, openly, or emphatically that something is true or the case.
- To make an official or legal announcement, such as declaring war, bankruptcy, or independence.
- To admit or acknowledge something formally, such as declaring one's income for tax purposes or goods at customs.
- (In cricket) to end an innings voluntarily before all wickets are lost.
"The government declared a state of emergency after the floods."
"She declared her intention to run for president at a packed rally in Manchester."
"Travellers must declare any currency above the permitted limit when entering the country."
When a cricket batter declares an innings closed, they're using the same word that once launched wars — proof that one verb can span everything from sport to statecraft.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of declare
Declare comes from the Latin declarare, formed from de- (intensive) plus clarare, "to make clear," from clarus, "clear or bright." It entered English via Old French declarer in the late Middle Ages, around the fourteenth century, initially carrying the sense of making something plain or evident. Its formal and political uses developed early, appearing in established phrases such as declaring war. Cognates sharing the clar- root include clarify, clarity, clarify's relative clarion, and the adjective declarative.
Related word forms
How declare is actually used
"Declare" carries a tone of formality and authority; it is more weighty than "say" or "tell." In legal and financial contexts it has precise technical meanings (declaring income, dividends, or assets). The phrase "declare war on" is also used figuratively to describe determined campaigns against problems.
Easily confused with declare
"Announce" is neutral reporting of news, while "declare" implies formality, authority, or emphasis in making something officially known.
"Declared" as an adjective means openly avowed (a declared candidate), whereas "declare" is the verb itself.