condemn

con·demn

Use condemn in a sentence

verb

The definition of condemn is to state that someone or something is wrong or evil or to sentence to punishment.

An example of condemn is to announce that a person is guilty of murder.
An example of condemn is to sentence a murderer to life in prison.

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"condemn." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 17 December 2018. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/condemn>.

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condemn. (n.d.). Retrieved December 17th, 2018, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/condemn

condemn

to pass an adverse judgment on; disapprove of strongly; censure
1. to declare to be guilty of wrongdoing; convict
2. to pass judicial sentence on; inflict a penalty upon
3. to doom
to take (private property) for public use by the power of eminent domain; expropriate
to declare unfit for use or service: to condemn a slum tenement

Origin of condemn

Middle English condempnen from Old French condemner from Classical Latin condemnare from com-, intensive + damnare, to harm, condemn: see damn

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"condemn." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 17 December 2018. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/condemn>.

APA Style

condemn. (n.d.). Retrieved December 17th, 2018, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/condemn

condemn

transitive verb

con·demned, con·demn·ing, con·demns

To express strong disapproval of: condemned the needless waste of food. See Synonyms at criticize.
To pronounce judgment against; sentence: condemned the felons to prison.
To judge or declare to be unfit for use or consumption, usually by official order: condemn an old building.
To force (someone) to experience, endure, or do something: “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it” ( George Santayana )
To lend credence to or provide evidence for an adverse judgment against: were condemned by their actions.
Law To appropriate (property) for public use.

Origin of condemn

Middle English condemnen from Old French condemner from Latin condemnāre com- intensive pref. ; see com- . damnāre to sentence ( from damnum penalty )

Related Forms:

con·dem′na·ble
adjective

con·dem′na·to′ry
adjective

con·demn′er con·dem′nor
noun

THE AMERICAN HERITAGE® DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, FIFTH EDITION by the Editors of the American Heritage Dictionaries. Copyright © 2016, 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

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MLA Style

"condemn." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 17 December 2018. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/condemn>.

APA Style

condemn. (n.d.). Retrieved December 17th, 2018, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/condemn

condemn

condemn damn doom sentence

These verbs mean to determine the punishment or destiny of one found to be guilty or undeserving: condemned the dissident to hard labor; damned the murderer to everlasting misery; an attempt that was doomed to failure; sentenced the traitor to life in prison.

See Also Synonyms at criticize.

THE AMERICAN HERITAGE® DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, FIFTH EDITION by the Editors of the American Heritage Dictionaries. Copyright © 2016, 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

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Link to this page

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MLA Style

"condemn." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 17 December 2018. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/condemn>.

APA Style

condemn. (n.d.). Retrieved December 17th, 2018, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/condemn

Verb

(third-person singular simple present condemns, present participle condemning, simple past and past participle condemned)

To confer some sort of eternal divine punishment upon.
To adjudge (a building) as being unfit for habitation.
The house was condemned after it was badly damaged by fire.
To scold sharply; to excoriate the perpetrators of.
The president condemns the terrorist.
The president condemns the terrorist attacks.
To judicially pronounce (someone) guilty.
To determine and declare (property) to be assigned to public use. See eminent domain
To adjudge (food or drink) as being unfit for human consumption.
(law) To declare (a vessel) to be forfeited to the government, to be a prize, or to be unfit for service.

Related terms

Origin

From Old French condamner, from Latin condemnāre (“to sentence, condemn, blame”), from com- + damnāre (“to harm, condemn, damn”), from damnum (“damage, injury, loss”).

English Wiktionary. Available under CC-BY-SA license.

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Link to this page

Cite this page

MLA Style

"condemn." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 17 December 2018. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/condemn>.

APA Style

condemn. (n.d.). Retrieved December 17th, 2018, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/condemn

condemn - Legal Definition

v

To expropriate private property, usually land, for public use. See also appropriation and eminent domain.
To adjudge someone guilty of a crime or to impose sentence, especially a severe penalty such as death or life imprisonment.
To adjudge something, often a building, to be illegal, unfit for public use, or a hazard to the public and order it to be destroyed.