I declare
A polite burst of surprise, mild shock, or emphasis.
Also called well I declare.
Updated September 24, 2026
I declare pronunciation
/eye dih-CLAIR/
Meaning
Southern porch talk for "my goodness" or "well I'll be." Somebody says "Well, I declare!" when they are surprised, amused, a little vexed, or just marking a moment. It does not announce a legal fact. It is a soft exclamation that kept company manners while still sounding country.
How folks use it
- “Well, I declare! Look how tall that boy's gotten.”
- “I declare, that casserole disappeared before I sat down.”
Origin and etymology
An old-fashioned English exclamation of surprise that settled deep in Southern speech. Print uses go back at least to the 1800s. In the South it stayed alive longer as everyday talk, often with "Well" stuck on the front. Cousin phrases like "I swan" / "I swanee" cover similar ground.
Frequently asked questions
Does I declare mean you are stating something formally?
Not in this use. It is just an exclamation, like "my goodness," not a courtroom line.