to denounce / to brand
Loading your saved state.
to denounce
To publicly and sharply condemn or denounce someone or something.
Die Aktivisten brandmarkten die Zerstörung des Regenwaldes als Verbrechen an der Natur.
The activists denounced the destruction of the rainforest as a crime against nature.
to brand
To burn a mark into the skin of animals with a hot iron in order to identify the owner. Historically, this was also used on people as a punishment.
Früher war es üblich, Rinder zu brandmarken.
In the past, it was common to brand cattle.
The word is made up of 'Brand' (fire) and 'marken' (to mark). The figurative meaning 'anprangern' (to denounce) derives from the original, literal act of burning a mark of shame onto someone.
Die Presse brandmarkte das Verhalten des Politikers.
The press denounced the politician's behavior.
'Brandmarken' is an inseparable verb. The stress is on the second syllable ('-mar-'), and the prefix 'brand-' is never separated from the rest of the verb in a sentence.
Er brandmarkte die Entscheidung als Fehler.
He denounced the decision as a mistake.
In the figurative meaning, 'brandmarken' (to denounce) is very often used with the preposition 'als' (as) to name what something is being condemned as.
Die Opposition brandmarkte die neuen Gesetze als undemokratisch.
The opposition denounced the new laws as undemocratic.
The literal meaning 'ein Zeichen einbrennen' (to burn in a mark) is now used almost only in historical contexts or in connection with marking animals (e.g., cattle, horses).
Im Wilden Westen war es üblich, seine Rinder zu brandmarken.
In the Wild West, it was common to brand one's cattle.
to stamp / label
Here, abstempeln means hastily and simplistically assigning someone to a usually negative category. Brandmarken, by contrast, emphasizes sharp public condemnation. Use abstempeln for a blanket judgment and brandmarken for deliberately denouncing someone publicly.
In der Versammlung brandmarken die Kollegen Paul öffentlich als Lügner.
At the meeting, the colleagues publicly denounce Paul as a liar.
Einige Kollegen stempeln Paul nach einem Fehler vorschnell als Lügner ab.
After a mistake, some colleagues hastily label Paul as a liar.
