outcry

noun

out·​cry ˈau̇t-ˌkrī How to pronounce outcry (audio)
1
a
: a loud cry : clamor
b
: a vehement protest
2

Examples of outcry in a Sentence

They were surprised by the outcry against the casino proposal. There was a lot of public outcry over his racial comments.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Maya Levin | Afp | Getty Images The ceasefire agreement follows a brutal two-year war that has sparked global outcry, upended the Middle East and left Israel increasingly isolated on the international stage. Sam Meredith, CNBC, 10 Oct. 2025 The outcry accelerated the enactment in 1938 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, which underpins the Food and Drug Administration's current regulation of medicines. Gabrielle Emanuel, NPR, 10 Oct. 2025 The Israeli government approved the first part of the peace plan to end the conflict in Gaza, after a brutal two-year war that has ravaged the Palestinian enclave and sparked a global outcry, the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said early on Friday local time. Alexander Smith, NBC news, 9 Oct. 2025 The suspension sparked widespread outcry in the entertainment industry and accusations of government censorship. Brendan Morrow, USA Today, 9 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for outcry

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of outcry was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Outcry.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/outcry. Accessed 16 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

outcry

noun
out·​cry ˈau̇t-ˌkrī How to pronounce outcry (audio)
1
: a loud cry : clamor
2
: a strong protest

More from Merriam-Webster on outcry

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!