What does "declaration" mean?
An emphatic or formal act of saying, telling or asserting something, by speech or writing; a decisive assertion or proclamation.
Declaration
/ˌdɛk.ləˈɹeɪ.ʃən/ noun
noun ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: An emphatic or formal act of saying, telling or asserting something, by speech or writing; a decisive assertion or proclamation.
- Grammar: declaration is listed as noun.
- Nearest alternatives: announcement, proclamation, acceptance, acknowledgment.
- Useful contrasts: interj, are you, concealment.
- Usage evidence: A customs declaration is required.
How to use "declaration"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "declaration" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "declaration" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "declaration" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "declaration" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "declaration" is acting as noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "announcement" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "declaration", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 An emphatic or formal act of saying, telling or asserting something, by speech or writing; a decisive assertion or proclamation. countable, uncountable
"The weather was not tempting enough to draw the two others from their pencil and their book, in spite of Marianne's declaration that the day would be lastingly fair […]."
- 2 a formal expression by a meeting; agreed to by a vote wordnet
- 3 Specifically, a declaration of love. archaic, countable, uncountable
"I went to Miss Mills's, fraught with a declaration."
- 4 a statement that is emphatic and explicit (spoken or written) wordnet
- 5 A list of items for various legal purposes, e.g. customs declaration. countable, uncountable
Show 8 more definitions
- 6 a formal public statement wordnet
- 7 The act or process of declaring. countable, uncountable
- 8 (law) unsworn statement that can be admitted in evidence in a legal transaction wordnet
- 9 The act, by the captain of a batting side, of declaring an innings closed. countable, uncountable
- 10 (contract bridge) the highest bid becomes the contract setting the number of tricks that the bidder must make wordnet
- 11 In common law, the formal document specifying plaintiff's cause of action, including the facts necessary to sustain a proper cause of action, and to advise the defendant of the grounds upon which he is being sued. countable, uncountable
- 12 a statement of taxable goods or of dutiable properties wordnet
- 13 The specification of an object, such as a variable or function, establishing its existence but not necessarily describing its contents. countable, uncountable
Antonyms
Example
"A customs declaration is required."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "declaration"?
Common synonyms include: announcement, proclamation, acceptance, acknowledgment, address, admission.
How do you use "declaration" in a sentence?
A customs declaration is required.
How do you pronounce "declaration"?
Pronounced /ˌdɛk.ləˈɹeɪ.ʃən/.
Etymology
From Middle English declaration, declaracion, declaracioun, from Old French declaration (French déclaration), from Latin dēclārātiōnem, accusative of Latin dēclārātiō.