Many in the media have labelled Weinstein's behaviour as one of Hollywood's worst kept secrets, but while Streep, Clooney, Jennifer Lawrence and Judi Dench criticised his behaviour, they emphasised that they had no prior knowledge.
Weinstein has been fired from his own company after the allegations became public following a New York Times investigative piece that claimed the Hollywood producer reached at least eight financial settlements. Several other women have come forward with their stories after the publication of the article.
"The disgraceful news about Harvey Weinstein has appalled those of us whose work he championed, and those whose good and worthy causes he supported...
"One thing can be clarified. Not everybody knew. Harvey supported the work fiercely, was exasperating but respectful with me in our working relationship, and with many others with whom he worked professionally," Streep said in a statement to HuffPost.
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She said the media would not have neglected to write about Weinstein's "inappropriate, coercive acts" if everybody knew about it.
Clooney, who said he has known Weinstein for 20 years, called his behaviour "indefensible" and "disturbing".
"It's indefensible. That's the only word you can start with. Harvey's admitted to it, and it's indefensible. I've known Harvey for 20 years.
"He gave me my first big break as an actor in films on 'From Dusk Till Dawn', he gave me my first big break as a director with 'Confessions of a Dangerous Mind'. We've had dinners, we've been on location together, we've had arguments. But I can tell you that I've never seen any of this behaviour ever," Clooney told the Daily Beast.
"Whilst there is no doubt that Harvey Weinstein has helped and championed my film career for the past 20 years, I was completely unaware of these offences which are, of course, horrifying and I offer my sympathy to those who have suffered, and wholehearted support to those who have spoken out," Dench told the Entertainment Weekly.
Lawrence, who won an Oscar for her role in the Weinstein-produced "Silver Linings Playbook", told the Hollywood Reporter that she was "deeply disturbed" by the allegations but clarified that she did not experience any harassment personally.
"My heart goes out to all of the women affected by these gross actions. And I want to thank them for their bravery to come forward," she said.
Actor Jessica Chastain too joined the growing list of female Hollywood stars condemning Weinstein's behaviour.
"I was warned from the beginning. The stories were everywhere. To deny that is to create an environment for it to happen again," Chastain tweeted.
Veteran actor Glenn Close admitted that she was aware of vague rumours about Weinstein's inappropriate behaviour towards women.
"I'm angry, not just at him and the conspiracy of silence around his actions, but also that the 'casting couch' phenomenon, so to speak, is still a reality in our business and in the world: the horrible pressure, the awful expectation put on a woman when a powerful, egotistical, entitled bully expects sexual favours in exchange for a job," she added.
"When we stay silent, we gag the victims... When we stay silent, we stay on the same path that led us here. Making noise is making change," she wrote in the Times.