condemn

Verb

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

1. (transitive) To strongly criticise or denounce; to excoriate.
   • The president condemned the terrorists.
   • Ignorant and ſuperſtitious wretches meaſure the actions of letterd and philoſophical men by the tattle of their nurſes or illiterate parents and companions, or by the faſhion of the country : and people of differing religions judge and condemn each other by their own tenents ; when both of them...1722, William Wollaston, “Sect. V. Truths relating to the Deity. Of his exiſtence, perfection, providence, &c.”, in The Religion of Nature Delineated, page 81

   Synonyms:

   admonish, objurgate, upbraid, animadvert, bash, bawl out, tilt, cannonade, slash, lash

2. (transitive) To judicially pronounce (someone) guilty.

   Synonyms:

   convict, damn, sentence, adjudge, deem, doom, judge

   Antonyms:

   acquit, clear, vindicate, acquittance, assoil, assoilzie, absolve, disculp, disculpate, exculpate

3. (transitive) To judicially announce a verdict upon a finding of guilt; To sentence
   • The judge condemned him to death.
   • She was condemned to life in prison.
4. (transitive) To confer eternal divine punishment upon.

   Synonyms:

   damn

   Antonyms:

   save

5. (figuratively, transitive) To destine to experience bad circumstances; to doom.
   • Too many people are condemned to a life of poverty.

   Synonyms:

   curse, fate, foreordain, preordain

6. (transitive) To declare something to be unfit for use, or further use.
   • There was a massive slaughter of W.R. steam power at the conclusion of the summer timetable. In all, 169 locomotives were condemned.1962 December, “Motive Power Miscellany: Western Region”, in Modern Railways, page 425
   1. (transitive) To adjudge (a building) as being unfit for habitation.
      • The house was condemned after it was badly damaged by fire.
   2. (transitive) To adjudge (building or construction work) as of unsatisfactory quality, requiring the work to be redone.
   3. (transitive) To adjudge (food or drink) as being unfit for human consumption.
   4. (transitive) To declare (a vessel) to be unfit for service.
7. (transitive) To determine and declare (property) to be assigned to public use. See eminent domain.
8. (transitive) To declare (a vessel) to be forfeited to the government or to be a prize.