From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishcondemncon‧demn /kənˈdem/ ●○○ verb [transitive] 1 disapproveDISAPPROVE to say very strongly that you do not approve of something or someone, especially because you think it is morally wrong Politicians were quick to condemn the bombing.condemn something/somebody as something The law has been condemned as an attack on personal liberty.condemn somebody/something for (doing) something She knew that society would condemn her for leaving her children.► see thesaurus at criticize2 punishPUNISH to give someone a severe punishment after deciding they are guilty of a crimecondemn somebody to something He was found guilty and condemned to death.3 force to do somethingFORCE somebody TO DO something if a particular situation condemns someone to something, it forces them to live in an unpleasant way or to do something unpleasantcondemn somebody to (do) something people condemned to a life of poverty His occupation condemned him to spend long periods of time away from his family.4 not safeTBDESTROY to state officially that something is not safe enough to be used an old house that had been condemnedcondemn something as something The pool was closed after being condemned as a health hazard.COLLOCATIONSadverbsstrongly condemn something/somebodyThis procedure was strongly condemned by the opposition.roundly condemn something/somebody (=very strongly and severely)Last week’s violence was roundly condemned by foreign governments.be widely condemned (=by many people, groups etc)The laws have been widely condemned by human rights groups.publicly/openly condemn something/somebodyArmy officers openly condemned the war.unanimously condemn something/somebody (=with the agreement of all the people involved)The committee unanimously condemned the idea.vehemently/vigorously/fiercely condemn something/somebody (=in a very strong or angry way)The educational reforms were vehemently condemned by teachers.utterly/unequivocally condemn something/somebody (=very definitely and with no doubts)We utterly condemn any acts of violence. → See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
condemn• Where she was concerned, he was too prone to condemn.• The destruction of rainforests has been condemned as a disaster for the environment.• It was lauded by the industry but condemned as insufficient by some security experts and victims' advocates, including Cummock.• Local authorities have been condemned for failing to tackle the problem of homelessness.• Standing at windows was his favourite situation for brooding, self-examination, consoling or condemning himself ... wondering what to do next.• They want to condemn industrial output.• The French government condemned the killings and ordered an immediate investigation.• Lawyers were quick to condemn the new legislation.• Inspectors condemned the three buildings after the fire.• Far better condemn the whole nation to watching television.• Politicians and religious leaders have universally condemned this act of terrorism.• The cooks were up at 0500 hours, preparing the usual early breakfast for men condemned to hard work.• You are condemned to live outside time.• Meaning they either threw you in the gulag for 20 years or condemned you to a lifetime of borscht.condemn somebody/something for (doing) something• Diesels are condemned by some for being too slow off the mark.• Moderate Kosovan leaders such as Ibrahim Rugova have condemned the guerrillas for damaging the quest for independence.• Future generations will condemn us for inaction in the face of what is obviously happening in the world at present.• It was a bitter irony that he condemned her for loving a man who was out of reach.• Suddenly interested in the achievement of poor black schoolchildren, pundits, federal officials and policy-makers unanimously condemn Ebonics for lowering standards.• Mottram was an original drunken sailor and was condemned to death for stealing a boat.• One day a telegram arrived from a Hindu warning the Mahatma not to condemn Hindus for what they had done.condemned to death• He was convicted of first degree murder and condemned to death.• As befitted his rank he was tried before the House of Lords and, being found guilty, was condemned to death.• But the republican counter-espionage was highly organized, and early in 1814 he was arrested, tried and condemned to death.• He was now arrested, tried for treason for his support of Jane Grey and condemned to death.• His cook was charged and being found guilty was condemned to death.• Tireless, she came back once more and was condemned to death.• White told how he had repeatedly tried to escape, been twice captured, twice imprisoned, finally condemned to death.• McVeigh was condemned to death after his conviction on identical charges in June.• Mottram was an original drunken sailor and was condemned to death for stealing a boat.condemn somebody to (do) something• The one venture the saint had just condemned.• Having children could condemn a woman to a lifetime of economic dependence.• She says they condemned her to a lifetime of pain and disability.• History teaches that the lack of a railroad stop condemned many towns to a lingering death a hundred years ago.• People who do so condemn themselves to an endless round of debate over something they can never achieve.• Against ample evidence for the prosecution the accused offered no real defence and were all condemned and sentenced to hang.• If you don't learn from the past, you're condemned to repeat its mistakes.• By pursuing top management commitment and new organization designs, the committee members would have condemned themselves to three dilemmas: Illusion.• Even more surprising there are no stars: a deficiency which today usually condemns a climb to total obscurity.• Apfelbaum refreshingly asserts that a sense of humor need not condemn the artist to triviality.Origin condemn (1300-1400) Old French condemner, from Latin condemnare, from com- ( → COM-) + damnare ( → DAMN4) 