declare
/dɪˈkleə(r)/ (bre, ipa) · /dɪˈkler/ (ame, ipa) · /di-ˈkler/ (ame, mw)
declare — verb
- declarepresent simple I / you / we / they
- declareshe / she / it
- declaredpast simple
- declaring-ing form
1. to say something in a clear, firm way to many people, especially in a formal or
to say something in a clear, firm way to many people, especially in a formal or public situation, so that everyone knows about it.
Christopher declared his love for Élise at the family dinner table.
declare + direct object (love / support / loyalty)
The mayor declared the new hospital wing open after a short speech.
declare + object + complement (open / closed / winner)
Daichi declared that he would run for student council president next term.
The government declared a state of emergency after the floods destroyed ten villages.
“I will not work with that team again,” Hugo declared, and left the room.
- announce
more general and slightly less formal; used for making something known to a group of people
- proclaim
more formal and dramatic, often used for important public or national announcements
- state
to say or write something clearly; less official, more about expressing a fact or opinion
- assert
to state something firmly and forcefully, especially when others may disagree
文法句型
declare + noun phrase
declare + that‑clause
declare + noun phrase + noun/adjective (complement)
declare + direct speech
用法筆記
Frequently used in political, legal, and ceremonial contexts. The pattern ‘declare + object + complement’ (e.g. declare the meeting open, declare someone the winner) is common in formal spoken announcements.
常見錯誤
❗ ‘She declared that she will come tomorrow.’ ✅ ‘She declared that she would come tomorrow.’ — When the main verb is past tense, the verb in the that‑clause must backshift to past. ‘Declare’ is often followed by reported speech, so backshift applies.
❗ ‘He declared about the problem in the meeting.’ ✅ ‘He declared that there was a problem in the meeting.’ — ‘Declare’ in this sense takes a that‑clause or a direct object, not a prepositional phrase with ‘about’.
2. to officially report your income, property, or purchased items to a government b
to officially report your income, property, or purchased items to a government body or customs officer, so that the proper tax or duty can be calculated.
At the airport, passengers must declare goods worth more than five hundred dollars.
declare + goods at customs
Heloísa forgot to declare the money she earned from freelance design work last year.
declare + income / earnings for tax purposes
You need to declare any gifts received from overseas when you enter this country.
The accountant reminded Bilal to declare his rental income on the annual tax form.
文法句型
declare + goods/income/assets
declare + noun phrase + to + authority
declare + noun phrase + on + document
用法筆記
The object is nearly always a type of income, goods, or assets (e.g. declare earnings, declare property). In customs contexts, the person travelling is the subject. In tax contexts, the person earning or the accountant is the subject.
常見錯誤
❗ ‘I forgot to declare at customs about the wine.’ ✅ ‘I forgot to declare the wine at customs.’ — In this sense ‘declare’ is transitive; the goods or income must be the direct object, not part of a prepositional phrase.
3. (in the sport of cricket) to stop batting and bring your team’s turn at the crea
(in the sport of cricket) to stop batting and bring your team’s turn at the crease to an end because you believe your current score is high enough to win the match.
The cricket captain decided to declare after their team reached four hundred runs.
intransitive: team/captain + declare, ending the innings
England declared before lunch, leaving Australia a difficult target to chase.
Ravindra’s team declared on 487 for five, hoping to bowl out the other side.
In school cricket matches, teams rarely declare because every player wants a turn to bat.
文法句型
team/captain + declare
declare on + score + for + wickets
declare + time reference
用法筆記
This sense is restricted to the sport of cricket and is almost always intransitive. The subject is the team captain, the team name, or the team itself. The decision to declare is a strategic choice that often puts pressure on the opposing team.