pronounce
verb
pro·nounce
prə-ˈnau̇n(t)s 
pronounced; pronouncing
1
: to declare officially or ceremoniously
the minister pronounced them husband and wife
2
: to declare authoritatively or as an opinion
doctors pronounced him fit to resume duties
3
a
: to employ the organs of speech to produce
pronounce these words
especially
: to say correctly
I can't pronounce his name
b
: to represent in printed characters the spoken counterpart of (an orthographic representation)
both dictionaries pronounce clique the same
4
: recite
speak the speech, I pray you, as I pronounced it to you—
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare
pronouncer
noun
Examples of pronounce in a Sentence
She practices pronouncing foreign words.
I'm sorry. I can't pronounce your name.
The priest pronounced a blessing on their home.
The doctors pronounced him fit to go back to work.
He was pronounced dead upon arrival at the hospital.
Many senators are pronouncing in favor of the bill.
The judge pronounced for the defendant.
Recent Examples on the Web
The man, who will be identified by the Office of the Coroner of Adams and Broomfield Counties, was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
—Max Levy, Denver Post, 6 June 2025
He was taken in an ambulance to Waterbury Hospital where he was pronounced dead, state police said.
—Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 6 June 2025
The news organizations’ analysis of attendance data since 2018 found that:
Absenteeism is most pronounced among high school students, with 37% of students missing a large amount of school in 2023-24, up from less than a quarter pre-pandemic.
—Steven Walker, The Orlando Sentinel, 5 June 2025
The victim suffered injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene.
—Deanese Williams-Harris, Chicago Tribune, 5 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for pronounce
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Max Levy, Denver Post, 6 June 2025
He was taken in an ambulance to Waterbury Hospital where he was pronounced dead, state police said.
—Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 6 June 2025
The news organizations’ analysis of attendance data since 2018 found that:
Absenteeism is most pronounced among high school students, with 37% of students missing a large amount of school in 2023-24, up from less than a quarter pre-pandemic.
—Steven Walker, The Orlando Sentinel, 5 June 2025
The victim suffered injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene.
—Deanese Williams-Harris, Chicago Tribune, 5 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for pronounce
Cite this Entry
“Pronounce.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pronounce. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
pronounce
verb
pro·nounce
prə-ˈnau̇n(t)s
pronounced; pronouncing
1
: to state in an official or solemn way
I pronounce you husband and wife
the judge pronounced sentence
2
: to give as an opinion
pronounced the party a success
3
a
: to use the voice to make the sounds of
practice pronouncing foreign words
b
: to say or speak correctly
I can't pronounce your name
pronouncer
noun
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