announce
C1Neutral to formal. Common in formal, public, media, and business contexts.
Definition
Meaning
to make something publicly known, especially in a formal or official way; to state something publicly for the first time.
It can also mean to signal or indicate that something is about to happen; to be the host or presenter of a programme or event.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Implies a level of formality and publicness. Not typically used for casual sharing of personal news among friends (where 'tell' or 'say' would be used).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Primarily a vocabulary difference in broadcasting contexts. In the UK, the person who announces programme details is often a 'newsreader' or 'presenter', while 'announcer' is a more formal role. In the US, 'announcer' is more commonly used for sports, events, and certain TV/radio roles.
Connotations
Generally the same. Slightly more formal in everyday British usage.
Frequency
Used with similar frequency in both varieties. The verb 'announce' itself shows no significant divergence.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
SVO: The company announced its merger.SVthat: The minister announced that taxes would rise.SV_N: She announced her resignation to the press.Passive: It was announced that flights were cancelled.Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “announce one's arrival (often used metaphorically, e.g., 'The storm announced its arrival with thunder.')”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
To inform stakeholders of financial results, strategic decisions, or leadership changes. 'The CEO will announce the quarterly earnings tomorrow.'
Academic
To present research findings at a conference or in a publication. 'The team announced a breakthrough in their latest paper.'
Everyday
To tell family or friends about personal plans like engagement, pregnancy, or a new job. 'We're announcing our wedding date this weekend.'
Technical
In computing/networking, for a device or service to make its presence known on a network (e.g., 'The server announces its IP address.').
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The Prime Minister will announce the new policy in Parliament.
- They announced the train's delay over the tannoy.
American English
- The President is set to announce his running mate tomorrow.
- The referee announced the final score to the stadium.
adverb
British English
- No standard adverb form from 'announce'. Use 'announcingly' is non-standard and extremely rare.
American English
- No standard adverb form from 'announce'.
adjective
British English
- The announcing officer read the statement. (less common, participle as adjective)
- There was an announced delay on the Northern line.
American English
- The announced candidate withdrew from the race.
- The announced changes will take effect next month.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The teacher announced the test date.
- They announced the name of the winner.
- The government has announced a new scheme for students.
- He announced his decision to leave the company.
- The chairman announced to the shareholders that profits had doubled.
- The dark clouds announced the approaching storm.
- The research institute announced a groundbreaking discovery in renewable energy.
- His manner announced a man accustomed to being in charge.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a town crier with a NOUNCEment (from Latin 'nuntiare', to report). He ANnounCES the news loudly to all.
Conceptual Metaphor
KNOWING IS SEEING / INFORMATION IS A LIQUID. To announce is to 'make visible' or 'pour out' information to the public.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'announce' meaning 'to advertise' (рекламировать). Announce is about information, not promotion.
- Avoid overusing for simple 'saying' (говорить). It's for formal or public declarations.
- The noun is 'announceMENT' (объявление), not 'announcATION'.
Common Mistakes
- Incorrect: *He announced me the news. (Correct: He announced the news to me.)
- Incorrect: *I will announce about my plans. (Correct: I will announce my plans.)
- Spelling: Confusing the double 'n'.
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following sentences uses 'announce' LEAST appropriately?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Announce' focuses on making information public, often for the first time. 'Declare' is more formal, authoritative, and final, often implying an official or legal statement (e.g., declare war, declare income).
Yes, but it adds a sense of formality or publicness. Saying 'We announced our pregnancy to the family' suggests a deliberate, possibly gathered, revelation, not just mentioning it in passing.
It is a dynamic (action) verb. It describes an action of communicating. It can be used in continuous forms (e.g., 'They are announcing the results now').
Typically, no preposition is needed for the direct object ('announce a decision'). Use 'to' for the audience ('announce it to the press'). 'That' introduces a clause ('announce that you are leaving'). Avoid 'about'.
Collections
Part of a collection
Media and Communication
B1 · 50 words · Language for discussing media and communication.