condemn
[verb]
Synonyms:
- disapprove, blame, censure, damn, denounce, reproach, reprove, upbraid
- sentence, convict, damn, doom, pass sentence on

---

Contrasted words: applaud, commend, compliment, acclaim, eulogize, extol, laud, praise, condone, excuse, forgive, pardon, deliver, redeem, rescue, save
Related Idioms: damn with faint praise, find fault with
Related Words: belittle, decry, depreciate, disparage, deprecate, disapprove

---

English Thesaurus: criticize, be critical of somebody/something, attack, lay into somebody/tear into somebody, tear somebody/something to shreds, ...

[TahlilGaran] English Synonym Dictionary ▲

con‧demn /kənˈdem/ verb [transitive]
[Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old French; Origin: condemner, from Latin condemnare, from com- ( ⇒ COM-) + damnare (, damn⁴)]

1. DISAPPROVE to say very strongly that you do not approve of something or someone, especially because you think it is morally wrong:
Politicians were quick to condemn the bombing.
condemn something/somebody as something
The law has been condemned as an attack on personal liberty.
condemn somebody/something for (doing) something
She knew that society would condemn her for leaving her children.

2. PUNISH to give someone a severe punishment after deciding they are guilty of a crime
condemn somebody to something
He was found guilty and condemned to death.

3. FORCE TO DO SOMETHING if a particular situation condemns someone to something, it forces them to live in an unpleasant way or to do something unpleasant
condemn somebody to (do) something
people condemned to a life of poverty
His occupation condemned him to spend long periods of time away from his family.

4. NOT SAFE to state officially that something is not safe enough to be used:
an old house that had been condemned
condemn something as something
The pool was closed after being condemned as a health hazard.

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

condemn
verb
ADV. fiercely, roundly, strongly, vehemently, vigorously, vociferously | unequivocally, utterly | unanimously, universally | openly, publicly She publicly condemned the opposition leader.
PREP. for He was roundly condemned for his mistake.
PHRASES be widely condemned The action has been widely condemned by human rights groups.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

condemn

strongly condemn something/somebody
This procedure was strongly condemned by the opposition.
roundly condemn something/somebody (=very strongly and severely)
Last week’s violence was roundly condemned by foreign governments.
be widely condemned (=by many people, groups etc)
The laws have been widely condemned by human rights groups.
publicly/openly condemn something/somebody
Army officers openly condemned the war.
unanimously condemn something/somebody (=with the agreement of all the people involved)
The committee unanimously condemned the idea.
vehemently/vigorously/fiercely condemn something/somebody (=in a very strong or angry way)
The educational reforms were vehemently condemned by teachers.
utterly/unequivocally condemn something/somebody (=very definitely and with no doubts)
We utterly condemn any acts of violence.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

criticize to say what you think is bad about someone or something:
He was criticized for not being tough enough with the terrorists.
Stop criticizing my friends!
It’s easy to criticize, but not so easy to offer helpful solutions.
be critical of somebody/something to criticize someone or something, especially by giving detailed reasons for this:
The report was highly critical of the police investigation.
The press have been critical of his leadership style.
attack to criticize someone or something very strongly, especially publicly in the newspapers, on TV etc:
They attacked the government’s decision to undertake nuclear weapons tests.
lay into somebody/tear into somebody to criticize someone very strongly for something they have done, especially by shouting at them:
He started laying into one of his staff for being late.
tear somebody/something to shreds to find a lot of things wrong with someone’s arguments or ideas and make them seem very weak:
The prosecution will tear him to shreds.
pan to strongly criticize a film, play etc in the newspapers, on TV etc:
Her first movie was panned by the critics.
be pilloried especially written to be strongly criticized by a lot of people in the newspapers, on TV etc:
He was pilloried in the right-wing press.
condemn to say very strongly in public that you do not approve of something or someone, especially because you think they are morally wrong:
Politicians were quick to condemn the bombing.
find fault with somebody/something to criticize things that you think are wrong with something, especially small and unimportant things:
He’s quick to find fault with other people’s work.
pick holes in something informal to criticize something by finding many small faults in it, in a way that seems unreasonable and unfair:
Why are you always picking holes in my work?
knock to criticize someone or something, in an unfair and unreasonable way:
I know it’s fashionable to knock Tony Blair, but I think he did a good job.
slag off British English informal to criticize someone in an unfair and unpleasant way:
He’s always slagging you off behind your back.

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲