Avowed

acknowledged; declared:
an avowed enemy.
to declare frankly or openly; own; acknowledge; confess; admit:
he avowed himself an opponent of all alliances.
contemporary examples

an avowed liberal, he seeks to explain his critique of conservatives in psychology and biology.
david’s book club david frum february 20, 2012

he is, in short, an avowed foe of our society and our way of life.
the fallout from wikileaks’ latest exposure tunku varadarajan november 28, 2010

the tea party found its following by rejecting the value and avowed purpose of government itself.
republicans who threaten to have u.s. default on debt are nihilists robert shapiro january 8, 2013

his avowed goal had once been to get his american citizenship by boxing for the u.s. olympic team and then turn pro.
boston suspects tamerlan & dzhokhar tsarnaev, from boxing to bombs michael daly april 19, 2013

paul ryan and mitt romney, avowed enemies of big government, would likely have blocked both initiatives.
it’s time america makes good again on its belief in public works and public spirit daniel kevles august 31, 2012

historical examples

these men, christened “copperheads,” became more odious to loyal northerners than were the avowed secessionists.
abraham lincoln, vol. ii john t. morse

nor were they wrong, for such is the avowed aim of the “forward policy.”
the story of the malakand field force sir winston s. churchill

olga was an avowed anarchist; she was almost a prisoner in the house of her uncle.
truxton king george barr mccutcheon

he avowed his love for agnes, and their intention to abide sir charles’ decision.
oswald langdon carson jay lee

eppie, like the ascendant race again, made prompt and shameless use of the avowed and very apparent weakness.
the shadow of life anne douglas sedgwick

verb (transitive)
to state or affirm
to admit openly
(law, rare) to justify or maintain (some action taken)
v.

early 13c., from anglo-french avouer, old french avoer “acknowledge, accept, recognize,” especially as a protector (modern french avouer), from latin advocare (see advocate). a synonym of avouch (q.v.), which tends to contain the more technical, legal aspect of the word. related: avowed; avowing.