pronounce

UK: /prəˈnaʊns/ US: /prəˈnaʊns/ ,(prə nouns′)

Inflections of 'pronounce' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

pronounces

v 3rd person singular

pronouncing

v pres p

pronounced

v past

pronounced

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

pro•nounce /prəˈnaʊns/   v., -nounced, -nounc•ing. 

1. Phonetics to make or utter sounds, words, sentences, etc.:
   [~ + object] In the word came, the letter "e'' is not pronounced.
2. Phonetics to make or utter sounds, words, sentences, etc., in an accepted or correct manner: [~ + object]
   How do you pronounce this word?
   [~ + object (+ as) + object]
   You pronounce the Spanish ll (as) "y.''
3. to declare (a person or thing) to be as specified, esp. officially: [~ + object + object]
   I now pronounce you husband and wife.
   [~ + object + adjective]
   He pronounced the meal fit for a king.

pro•nounce•a•ble, adj. See -nounce-.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

pro•nounce  (prə nouns′), v., -nounced, -nounc•ing. 
v.t. 

1. Phonetics to enunciate or articulate (sounds, words, sentences, etc.).
2. Phonetics to utter or sound in a particular manner in speaking:
   He pronounces his words indistinctly.
3. Phonetics to utter or articulate in the accepted or correct manner:
   I can't pronounce this word.
4. to declare (a person or thing) to be as specified:
   She pronounced it the best salmon she had ever tasted.
5. to utter or deliver formally or solemnly:
   to pronounce sentence.
6. to announce authoritatively or officially:
   The judge pronounced the defendant guilty.
7. Phonetics to indicate the pronunciation of (words) by providing a phonetic transcription:
   This dictionary pronounces most of the words entered.

v.i. 

8. Phonetics to pronounce words, phrases, etc.
9. to make a statement or assertion, esp. an authoritative statement (often fol. by on):
   He was required to pronounce on the findings of his research.
10. to give an opinion or decision (usually fol. by on):
    to pronounce on an important matter.
11. Phonetics to indicate the pronunciation of words:
    a spelling book that pronounces.

• Latin prōnūntiāre to proclaim, announce, recite, utter. See pro-¹, announce
• Middle French prononcier
• Middle English pronouncen 1300–50

pro•nounce′a•ble, adj. 
pro•nounce′a•ble•ness, n. 
pro•nounc′er, n. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

pronounce / prəˈnaʊns/ verb

1. to utter or articulate (a sound or sequence of sounds)
2. (transitive) to utter or articulate (sounds or words) in the correct way
3. (tr; may take a clause as object) to proclaim officially and solemnly: I now pronounce you man and wife
4. (when tr, may take a clause as object) to declare as one's judgment: to pronounce the death sentence upon someone

Etymology: 14th Century: from Latin prōnuntiāre to announce, from pro-¹ + nuntiāre to announce

proˈnounceable adjective

proˈnouncer noun