Choose the Right Synonym for decry

decry, depreciate, disparage, belittle mean to express a low opinion of. decry implies open condemnation with intent to discredit. decried their defeatist attitude depreciate implies a representing as being of less value than commonly believed. critics depreciate his plays for being unabashedly sentimental disparage implies depreciation by indirect means such as slighting or invidious comparison. disparaged polo as a game for the rich belittle usually suggests a contemptuous or envious attitude. belittled the achievements of others

Examples of decry in a Sentence

In her article, she decries the pollution of the environment by manufacturers. Violence on television is generally decried as harmful to children.

Recent Examples on the Web Trump was not the first liar in the Oval Office, and unlike some of his predecessors, he was fiercely challenged by an adversarial press and an opposition party keen to decry his every statement. — Rebecca Panovka, Harper's Magazine, 20 July 2021 Dozens of residents contacted the city to decry the event. — al, 18 July 2021 Dozens of residents contacted the city to decry the event. — Los Angeles Times, 17 July 2021 Haley went on Newsmax to decry the track-and-field athlete who turned her back on the American flag. — Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 6 July 2021 China argues the law bolsters national cohesion while critics decry it as an attack on freedom of expression and human rights. — Robert Hart, Forbes, 5 July 2021 A week before California reopened its economy, a group of 100 or so demonstrators gathered in front of the Orange County Board of Supervisors here to decry lingering mask mandates and other health restrictions. — Washington Post, 29 June 2021 Within hours, Adams held a press conference at the scene to decry a spike in shootings that has coincided with the pandemic. — Eric Lach, The New Yorker, 23 June 2021 In an open letter published on the op-ed website DXE, the scientists decry the concept of dream advertising, wherein companies engineer ads into your subconscious through audio and video clips. — Caroline Delbert, Popular Mechanics, 8 July 2021

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'decry.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

History and Etymology for decry

borrowed from French décrier "to discredit, depreciate," going back to Middle French descrier (15th century), from des- de- + crier "to cry entry 1"

Note: A supposed 13th-century French usage of descrier in the sense "to announce (the depreciation or suppression of a currency)," mentioned without citation in the Französisches etymologisches Wörterbuch, has never been found and should probably be disregarded. See also note at descry entry 1.

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