Shouts out something with sudden emotion or surprise, often expressing strong feelings like joy, anger, or amazement.
From Latin 'exclamare' (to cry out), combining 'ex-' (out) and 'clamare' (to shout). Entered English in the 1500s and describes vocal expression of intense emotion.
Writers use 'exclaim' to show characters are emotional, but linguists note that people rarely actually 'exclaim'—we say things, speak, shout, or cry out; 'exclaim' is mostly a fiction convention that makes writing feel dramatic!
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