avow

verb

ə-ˈvau̇ How to pronounce avow (audio)
Definition of avownext
1
as in to insist
to state as a fact usually forcefully avowed that the colonization of Mars in our lifetime is not only possible but probable

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to declare
to state clearly and strongly avowed their undying love for each other

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word avow distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of avow are affirm, assert, declare, and protest. While all these words mean "to state positively usually in anticipation of denial or objection," avow stresses frank declaration and acknowledgment of personal responsibility for what is declared.

avowed that all investors would be repaid in full

When might affirm be a better fit than avow?

The synonyms affirm and avow are sometimes interchangeable, but affirm implies conviction based on evidence, experience, or faith.

affirmed the existence of an afterlife

Where would assert be a reasonable alternative to avow?

Although the words assert and avow have much in common, assert implies stating confidently without need for proof or regard for evidence.

asserted that modern music is just noise

When would declare be a good substitute for avow?

In some situations, the words declare and avow are roughly equivalent. However, declare stresses open or public statement.

declared her support for the candidate

When could protest be used to replace avow?

The words protest and avow can be used in similar contexts, but protest emphasizes affirming in the face of denial or doubt.

protested that he really had been misquoted

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of avow Who gets the money? Oct. 23, 2024 There is no such controversy surrounding the Freeman ball, which soared directly at Zachary Ruderman, whose avowed favorite player is Freeman and who keeps score at the frequent games his family attends. —Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 15 Dec. 2024 There are avowed eyebrow experts on Telegram who are claiming that this is absolutely 100% not the same person. —Tim Marchman, WIRED, 13 Dec. 2024 The lawsuit was first filed against the Eau Claire Area School District in 2022 by the Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty and America First Legal — the organization started by Trump’s new deputy chief of staff for policy and avowed white nationalist Stephen Miller. —Mathew Rodriguez, Them, 10 Dec. 2024 Iran and Israel, for example, are avowed adversaries. —Maria Snegovaya, Foreign Affairs, 25 Nov. 2024 See All Example Sentences for avow
Recent Examples of Synonyms for avow
  1. insist
  2. declare
  3. allege
  4. profess
  5. claim
  6. assert
  7. contend
  8. proclaim
Verb
  • The government insisted there was no evidence that the AP had been harmed irreparably.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 28 Mar. 2025
  • Why does the club insist on rebuilding via purchasing players as opposed to harnessing the talents of academy players instead?
    — Sam Lee, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025
Definition of insist
Verb
  • In South Carolina, Gov. Henry McMaster declared a state of emergency Saturday as part of an effort to stop a blaze in Pickens County called the Table Rock Fire that started the previous day in an area within the Blue Ridge Mountains.
    — ASSOCIATED PRESS, TIME, 23 Mar. 2025
  • Emergency declared South Carolina In South Carolina, Gov. Henry McMaster declared a state of emergency Saturday as part of an effort to stop a blaze in Pickens County called the Table Rock Fire that started the previous day in an area within the Blue Ridge Mountains.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 23 Mar. 2025
Definition of declare
Verb
  • Milton's conviction came after a short seller called Hindenburg Research alleged in 2020 that the EV maker had misrepresented its technology.
    — Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 28 Mar. 2025
  • The administration has sent more than 200 Venezuelans to a maximum-security prison in El Salvador, alleging that the migrants have gang ties, claims that families and attorneys of some of those deported have strongly denied.
    — Daniella Silva, NBC news, 28 Mar. 2025
Definition of allege
Verb
  • With an arrangement that feels somewhere between a cruise on the Seine, golden-age Hollywood, and a circus, Gaga professes her purest confession of love.
    — Kristen S. Hé, Vulture, 19 Mar. 2025
  • In interviews, the director professes his empathy for Mickey but especially for the studio marketing team for memorializing the movie’s accident-prone cast of characters.
    — Peter Bart, Deadline, 13 Mar. 2025
Definition of profess
Verb
  • The brand claims that the Famous Sauce has been around for over 100 years and was even served in the White House during Abraham Lincoln's presidency.
    — Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 18 Mar. 2025
  • Auburn claimed the No. 1 overall seed in the men’s bracket, while UCLA secured the top spot for the women’s.
    — Monica Mercuri, Forbes, 18 Mar. 2025
Definition of claim
Verb
  • The Alien and Sedition Acts elicited a firestorm of criticism soon after they were passed, including from Jefferson and James Madison, who asserted that states have the right and duty to declare some federal laws unconstitutional.
    — Daniel Tichenor, The Conversation, 17 Mar. 2025
  • In August, during an interview at the National Association of Black Journalists conference, Trump falsely asserted that Harris had not identified before as both Black and Indian.
    — Clarence Page, Chicago Tribune, 16 Mar. 2025
Definition of assert
Verb
  • Other development experts contend that foreign aid programs, while imperfect, have still made meaningful progress in improving health, education and freedoms.
    — Sarah Stroup, The Conversation, 19 Mar. 2025
  • Plaintiffs' attorneys contend Trump's order violates transgender people's rights to equal protection under the Fifth Amendment.
    — arkansasonline.com, arkansasonline.com, 19 Mar. 2025
Definition of contend
Verb
  • Intrigue in Read's case has only grown since the mistrial, as she's continued to share her story and proclaim her innocence.
    — Rachel Treisman, NPR, 28 Mar. 2025
  • Elk are being depleted by wolves, proclaim the Sportsmen’s Alliance, Safari Club International and Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, all of which sued to block ESA protections.
    — Ted Williams, Denver Post, 26 Mar. 2025
Definition of proclaim

Browse Nearby Words

avouchments
avow
avowal
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Cite this Entry

“Avow.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/avow. Accessed 1 Apr. 2025.

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