condemn
gb/kəndˈɛm/ us/kəndˈɛm/
B2
English
~ 6600
Senses
0 senses
Verb
B2
action
1
express strong moral disapproval
To say that something or someone is very wrong or bad, often in public.
Usage pattern:
to condemn [something] as [adjective]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse "condemn" with "criticize". "Criticize" can be mild or neutral, but "condemn" is very strong and usually moral. Also, learners may say *"condemn about"*; the normal patterns are "condemn something" or "condemn something as [adjective]" or "condemn someone for [doing something]".
Synonyms
denounce (Often slightly more formal; commonly used for public or official statements against something.)
Antonyms
praise (To express approval or admiration, which is the opposite of condemning something as wrong or bad.)
Collocations
strongly condemn
|publicly condemn
|condemn in the strongest terms
|internationally condemned
|condemn violence
|condemn the attack
Themes
politics
|ethics
|communication
|media
|emotions
Examples
- Human rights groups were quick to condemn the government’s actions.
- The president condemned the attack as a cowardly act of terrorism.
- Many religious leaders have condemned corruption in public office.
- The film was condemned by critics as shallow and offensive.
- International organizations condemned the company for using child labor.
Learner examples
- Many people condemned the violent protest.
- The teacher condemned cheating in the exam.
- Leaders around the world condemned the bombing.
- Her parents condemned his rude behavior.
- The group condemned the company for polluting the river.
Verb
formal
B2
action
2
sentence someone to punishment
To say officially, usually in court, that someone must get a certain punishment, often death or many years in prison.
Usage pattern:
to condemn [someone] to [punishment]
Common mistake:
Learners may use "condemn" for everyday punishments, where "fine" or "punish" is more natural. Also, this sense is almost always used in a legal or formal context; saying *"My parents condemned me to clean my room"* sounds odd unless meant humorously.
Synonyms
sentence (General legal term; "condemn" sounds stronger and is often used for very severe punishments such as death.)
Antonyms
acquit (To decide in a court that someone is not guilty and therefore receives no punishment, which is the opposite of condemning them.)
Collocations
condemn someone to death
|condemn someone to life in prison
|condemned prisoner
|condemned cell
|condemned to serve ten years
|condemn someone for murder
Themes
law
|crime
|justice
Examples
- The court condemned the man to death for the brutal murders.
- She was condemned to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
- Dozens of political prisoners were condemned after a short and unfair trial.
- Under the old regime, people could be condemned for speaking out against the king.
- The judge refused to condemn him to prison, opting for community service instead.
Learner examples
- The judge condemned the killer to death.
- He was condemned to ten years in prison.
- Many people were condemned after the war.
- In some countries, you can be condemned to death for drug crimes.
- The old law condemned people to prison for small crimes.
Verb
technical
C1
action
3
declare a building unsafe
To say officially that a building is not safe to use, so people must not live or work there.
Usage pattern:
to condemn [a building] as [adjective]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse this sense with general disapproval. Saying *"They condemned the building"* in this sense means an official safety decision, not just that people criticized the building. Also, note that the object is usually a structure, not a person.
Synonyms
declare unfit (More general and slightly less technical; "condemn" usually implies an official order and often leads to closure or demolition.)
Antonyms
approve (To officially accept something as suitable or safe, which is the opposite of condemning it as unfit.)
Collocations
condemn a building
|condemn the house as unsafe
|condemned property
|condemned as unfit for human habitation
|city condemned the apartment block
|condemn the structure
Themes
housing
|law
|safety
|health
Examples
- After the earthquake, inspectors condemned several apartment buildings as unsafe.
- The old warehouse was condemned and scheduled for demolition.
- The city council voted to condemn the house because of serious fire hazards.
- Health officials condemned the restaurant’s kitchen after finding rats and mold.
- Neighbors were forced to move out when the block was condemned by local authorities.
Learner examples
- The city condemned the old house as unsafe.
- After the flood, many homes were condemned.
- The school building was condemned and then torn down.
- They had to leave because their apartment was condemned.
- Inspectors condemned the factory for safety problems.
Verb
C1
action
4
doom someone to an unpleasant fate
To make someone, or say that someone must live in a bad situation that they cannot easily leave.
Usage pattern:
to condemn [someone] to [unpleasant state]
Common mistake:
Learners may overuse this strong word for small problems, where verbs like "put" or "leave" are better. Also, it is often used in the passive ("be condemned to"), and learners sometimes forget the preposition and say *"be condemned in a life of"* instead of "condemned to a life of".
Synonyms
doom (Very close in meaning; "doom" is often more dramatic or literary, while "condemn" can sound slightly more formal and moral or official.)
Antonyms
liberate (To free someone from a difficult or unpleasant situation, which is the opposite of condemning them to it.)
Collocations
condemn someone to a life of poverty
|condemn someone to loneliness
|condemn future generations to debt
|condemned to repeat the past
|condemn someone to suffering
|condemn millions to hunger
Themes
life
|emotions
|society
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The war has condemned thousands of children to a life of fear and uncertainty.
- Poor education can condemn young people to low-paid work.
- His illness condemned him to years of painful treatment.
- We must not condemn future generations to a polluted planet.
- Lack of investment has condemned the region to long-term economic decline.
Learner examples
- The disease condemned him to many years in bed.
- The war condemned many families to great suffering.
- Bad schools can condemn children to a hard life.
- Their actions may condemn future generations to serious problems.
- The long drought condemned farmers to hunger.
Grammar
Dictionary form
condemn
IPA
GB/kəndˈɛm/
US/kəndˈɛm/
Syllables & stress
con - demn (2 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (demn)
Word forms
Verb
- Base: condemn
- 3rd Person Singular: condemns
- Present Participle: condemning
- Past: condemned
Word family
Forms
condemns
verb
condemning
verb
condemned
verb
Core family
condemnation
noun B2
Advanced or less common
condemnatory
adjective
Expressions
No expressions linked to this entry yet.