Announce vs Communicate vs Declare vs Report

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

Announce

Top 1,000 (very common)B1verb

Communicate

Top 1,000 (very common)A2verb

Declare

FormalTop 2,000 (common)B2verb

Report

Top 1,000 (very common)A1noun
Most formal: Declare
 AnnounceCommunicateDeclareReport
Pronunciation🇬🇧 /["/əˈnaʊns/","/əˈnaʊnsɪz/","/əˈnaʊnst/","/əˈnaʊnsɪŋ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/əˈnaʊns/","/əˈnaʊnsɪz/","/əˈnaʊnst/","/əˈnaʊnsɪŋ/"]/🇬🇧 /["/kəˈmjuːnɪkeɪt/","/kəˈmjuːnɪkeɪts/","/kəˈmjuːnɪkeɪtɪd/","/kəˈmjuːnɪkeɪtɪŋ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/kəˈmjuːnɪkeɪt/","/kəˈmjuːnɪkeɪts/","/kəˈmjuːnɪkeɪtɪd/","/kəˈmjuːnɪkeɪtɪŋ/"]/🇬🇧 /["/dɪˈkleə(r)/","/dɪˈkleəz/","/dɪˈkleəd/","/dɪˈkleərɪŋ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/dɪˈkler/","/dɪˈklerz/","/dɪˈklerd/","/dɪˈklerɪŋ/"]/🇬🇧 /["/rɪˈpɔːt/"]/🇺🇸 /["/rɪˈpɔːrt/"]/
MeaningTo make something known to many peopleTo share information or ideas with others.To say something officially or publicly.A written or spoken account of something.
ExampleThey will announce the results of the competition tomorrow.It's important to communicate your ideas clearly to others.The president will declare the new policy during the press conference.The teacher asked us to write a report on our summer vacation.
RegisterNeutralNeutralFormalNeutral
How commonTop 1,000 (very common)Top 1,000 (very common)Top 2,000 (common)Top 1,000 (very common)
CEFR levelB1A2B2A1
Part of speechverbverbverbnoun
Collocationsformally, officially, publicly, be expected to, expect to, be delighted to, to, formally, officially, publicly, be expected to, expect to, be delighted to, toclearly, effectively, successfully, by, through, tovirtually, immediately, promptly, to, virtually, immediately, promptly, togroundbreaking, important, influential, deliver, give somebody, make, be based on something, address something, concern something, author, writer, writing, according to a/​the report, amid reports, in a/​the report, groundbreaking, important, influential, deliver, give somebody, make, be based on something, address something, concern something, author, writer, writing, according to a/​the report, amid reports, in a/​the report, groundbreaking, important, influential, deliver, give somebody, make, be based on something, address something, concern something, author, writer, writing, according to a/​the report, amid reports, in a/​the report, groundbreaking, important, influential, deliver, give somebody, make, be based on something, address something, concern something, author, writer, writing, according to a/​the report, amid reports, in a/​the report, good, bad, school, get
Antonymsconceal, hideconceal, withhold, silencedeny, disclaim, suppressignore, neglect
Common mistakesConfusing it with 'notify'; 'announce' is more public, Using it without an object; 'announce' needs something to announce, Using it in passive voice incorrectly; it is usually activeUsing 'communicate' without an object (e.g., 'I communicate' instead of 'I communicate my ideas')., Confusing 'communicate' with 'communicative' which has a different meaning., Incorrectly conjugating the verb in different tenses.Using 'declare' without an object (e.g., 'I declare' alone is often incomplete), Confusing 'declare' with 'proclaim' which has a different nuance, Saying 'declaring for' instead of 'declaring to be' when stating identity or statusConfused with 'reporter' which refers to a person., Misuse of 'reports' as a verb instead of a noun., Using 'report' for informal updates, which is not appropriate.
Usage notesUse 'announce' for formal and neutral contexts, such as public speeches or official statements. Avoid in very casual situations.Used in both formal and informal contexts. Can refer to spoken, written, or non-verbal communication. Avoid in very casual situations where simpler words might be more effective.Used in formal contexts such as legal, government, or academic settings. Avoid in casual conversations. Commonly used when making announcements or stating intentions.Use 'report' in formal contexts like school or work. Avoid in casual conversations unless discussing news or events.

See it in real clips

Announce
Communicate
Declare

Frequently asked questions: Announce vs Communicate vs Declare vs Report

What's the difference between Announce, Communicate, Declare, and Report?

Announce: To make something known to many people Communicate: To share information or ideas with others. Declare: To say something officially or publicly. Report: A written or spoken account of something.

Which is more formal: Announce, Communicate, Declare, and Report?

Declare is the most formal of these.

Which is more advanced: Announce, Communicate, Declare, and Report?

Declare is the highest level, at B2, on the CEFR scale.

Are Announce, Communicate, Declare, and Report the same CEFR level?

Announce: B1, Communicate: A2, Declare: B2, Report: A1 on the CEFR scale.

What part of speech are Announce, Communicate, Declare, and Report?

Announce: verb, Communicate: verb, Declare: verb, Report: noun.

Can you show an example of each?

Announce: They will announce the results of the competition tomorrow. Communicate: It's important to communicate your ideas clearly to others. Declare: The president will declare the new policy during the press conference. Report: The teacher asked us to write a report on our summer vacation.

Can I use Announce, Communicate, Declare, and Report interchangeably?

Not always. Announce, Communicate, Declare, and Report are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.

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