promulgated: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2Formal, official, academic, legal, religious.
Quick answer
What does “promulgated” mean?
Formally announced, proclaimed, or put a law, decree, or idea into effect and widely circulated it.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
Formally announced, proclaimed, or put a law, decree, or idea into effect and widely circulated it.
To make an idea, belief, or piece of information widely known and accepted by the public, especially through active promotion or publication.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage. The word is equally formal and used in the same contexts in both varieties.
Connotations
Associated with high authority, governance, and institutional power in both regions.
Frequency
Low-frequency, high-register word in both BrE and AmE. Possibly slightly more common in AmE legal and political discourse due to the constitutional context of promulgating laws.
Grammar
How to Use “promulgated” in a Sentence
[Subject: Authority] + promulgated + [Object: Law/Doctrine/Idea] + (to/among [Recipient])[Subject: Authority] + promulgated + [Object: Law/Doctrine/Idea] + [Adjunct: on/through/by means of]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “promulgated” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The new Data Protection Act was promulgated by Parliament last month.
- The Archbishop promulgated the Vatican's latest encyclical to the diocese.
American English
- The agency promulgated new regulations for water safety.
- The doctrine was formally promulgated by the church council in 1965.
adverb
British English
- The policy was promulgated widely via official gazettes.
American English
- The amendment was promulgated effectively through a comprehensive media campaign.
adjective
British English
- The recently promulgated legislation will come into force next quarter.
American English
- Compliance with the newly promulgated rule is mandatory for all contractors.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare; used for official company policies or codes of conduct.
Academic
Common in history, political science, and law for discussing official decrees or the spread of ideologies.
Everyday
Extremely rare; would sound overly formal.
Technical
Core term in legal contexts; used in religious studies for papal bulls or doctrinal statements.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “promulgated”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “promulgated”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “promulgated”
- Confusing with 'promulgate' and 'promulgation' in terms of stress: /ˈprɒm.əl.ɡeɪt/ not /prəʊˈmʌl.ɡeɪt/. Using it in informal contexts where 'announced' or 'said' is sufficient. Incorrectly using it for non-authoritative subjects, e.g., 'He promulgated his opinion on social media.' (weak/awkward).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, while most classically associated with laws and official decrees, it can be used for any formally announced doctrine, policy, or set of ideas from an authoritative source (e.g., a church promulgating a dogma, a university promulgating a new code of conduct).
'Promulgated' implies an official, authoritative announcement with the intent to initiate effect or widespread acceptance. 'Published' is broader and more neutral, meaning simply to make information publicly available. All promulgated things are published, but not all published things are promulgated (e.g., a novel is published, not promulgated).
The word itself is formal and neutral. However, the context can give it a negative spin, e.g., 'The dictator promulgated a series of oppressive laws.' The negativity comes from 'oppressive,' not from 'promulgated.'
The primary noun form is 'promulgation' (e.g., 'the promulgation of the decree'). The agent noun is 'promulgator' (one who promulgates).
Formally announced, proclaimed, or put a law, decree, or idea into effect and widely circulated it.
Promulgated is usually formal, official, academic, legal, religious. in register.
Promulgated: in British English it is pronounced /ˈprɒm.əl.ɡeɪ.tɪd/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈprɑː.məl.ɡeɪ.t̬ɪd/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None directly associated.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a PROfessional MULti-tasking GATE-keeper who officially ANNOUNCES (ATES) who can enter – he PROMULGATES the rules.
Conceptual Metaphor
PROMULGATION IS AN OFFICIAL BROADCAST / PROMULGATION IS PUTTING AN IDEA INTO CIRCULATION.
Practice
Quiz
In which of the following sentences is 'promulgated' used MOST appropriately?