condemn

[kuh n-dem] /kənˈdɛm/

verb (used with object)

to express an unfavorable or adverse judgment on; indicate strong disapproval of; censure.

to pronounce to be guilty; sentence to punishment:

to condemn a murderer to life imprisonment.

to give grounds or reason for convicting or censuring:

His acts condemn him.

to judge or pronounce to be unfit for use or service:

to condemn an old building.

U.S. Law. to acquire ownership of for a public purpose, under the right of eminent domain:

The city condemned the property.

to force into a specific state or activity:

His lack of education condemned him to a life of menial jobs.

to declare incurable.

Origin

1350-1400; Middle English condempnen < Anglo-French, Old French condem(p)ner < Latin condemnāre. See con-, damn

Related forms

condemnable

[kuh n-dem-nuh-buh l] /kənˈdɛm nə bəl/ (Show IPA), adjective

condemnably, adverb

condemner

[kuh n-dem-er] /kənˈdɛm ər/ (Show IPA), condemnor

[kuh n-dem-er, kuh n-dem-nawr] /kənˈdɛm ər, kən dɛmˈnɔr/ (Show IPA), noun

condemningly, adverb

recondemn, verb (used with object)

self-condemned, adjective

self-condemning, adjective

uncondemnable, adjective

uncondemned, adjective

uncondemning, adjective

uncondemningly, adverb

Can be confused

blame, censure, condemn (see synonym study at blame)

condemn, contemn.

Synonyms

1. See blame.

Antonyms

2. exonerate, liberate.

Examples from the web for condemned

And that condemned food, which my sister grew up obliviously consuming in copious amounts, was pumpkin.
The park reprieved a living system condemned to die under the pressure of progress.
Medieval jousting tournaments were condemned by church and state from the earliest days of their existence.
It turns out they're not all condemned to eventual exile.
Lethal injection can cause undue suffering to the condemned.
The question is why can some learn new sounds, whereas others are condemned to simply repeating preprogrammed fare.
Being condemned to a lifetime of harsh antipsychotic drugs seems a far cry from a runny nose and fever.
The gas industry has condemned the film as environmental propaganda and wildly exaggerated.
But in fact, the opposite approach is taken, where government action related to the economic is almost universally condemned.
How many scientists, artists, intellectuals and writers have offended the pop notions of their day and been condemned or worse.

British Dictionary definitions for condemned

condemn

/kənˈdɛm/

verb (transitive)

to express strong disapproval of; censure

to pronounce judicial sentence on

to demonstrate the guilt of: his secretive behaviour condemned him

to judge or pronounce unfit for use: that food has been condemned

to compel or force into a particular state or activity: his disposition condemned him to boredom

Derived Forms

condemnable (kənˈdɛməbəl) adjective
condemnably, adverb
condemnation, noun
condemner, noun
condemningly, adverb

Word Origin

C13: from Old French condempner, from Latin condemnāre, from damnāre to condemn; see damn

Word Origin and History for condemned

adj.

1540s, "found guilty, at fault," past participle adjective from condemn. Of property, "found unfit for use," from 1798.

condemn

early 14c., condempner "to blame, censure," from Old French condamner "to condemn" (11c.), from Latin condemnare "to sentence, doom, blame, disapprove," from com-, intensive prefix (see com-), + damnare "to harm, damage" (see damn). Replaced Old English fordeman. Related: Condemned; condemning.