rallying cry
noun
plural rallying cries
1
: a shouted word, phrase, or sound used by a body of fighters before or in battle : battle cry, war cry
… the innocent ejaculation hurrah! became a fearsome rallying cry in Napoleonic times.—
Geoffrey Hughes
Geoffrey Hughes2
: something (such as a catchphrase, incident, or event) that is used to excite people to support a cause or to rouse people to action
Lions captain Sam Warburton issued a rallying cry to his team yesterday … by urging them to "reach for the stars".—Mick Cleary
Mick ClearyUltimately, just 6 per cent of people would tell businesses to "keep doing what you're doing". If these findings do not act as a rallying cry for change, it is unclear what will.—Frank Luntz
Frank LuntzBoth campaigns have seized on the attempt to ban that book in schools as a rallying cry.—Edward Keenan
Edward KeenanThe much-despised gabelle, a tax first imposed on salt in France in the 13th century and at times soaring to 10 times the cost of producing salt in the first place, became a rallying cry for the French Revolution …—Ligaya Mishan
Ligaya MishanExamples of rallying cry in a Sentence
the rallying cry of a political movement
“We believe!” became the rallying cry of the fans.
Recent Examples on the Web
That rallying cry captures a generational shift.
—Lauryn Higgins, Flow Space, 8 Oct. 2025
Before Souls of Mischief took over, Ronson gave a rallying cry for the current party scene in New York.
—Leigh Nordstrom, Footwear News, 19 Sep. 2025
That rallying cry was broadcast loud and clear last week, when Kirk’s wife, Erika, predicted the impact her late husband’s death would have on the political landscape and the country as a whole.
—Julia Manchester, The Hill, 17 Sep. 2025
Those four words have become a rallying cry among Kirk fans on social media platforms since his death.
—Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 13 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rallying cry
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Lauryn Higgins, Flow Space, 8 Oct. 2025
Before Souls of Mischief took over, Ronson gave a rallying cry for the current party scene in New York.
—Leigh Nordstrom, Footwear News, 19 Sep. 2025
That rallying cry was broadcast loud and clear last week, when Kirk’s wife, Erika, predicted the impact her late husband’s death would have on the political landscape and the country as a whole.
—Julia Manchester, The Hill, 17 Sep. 2025
Those four words have become a rallying cry among Kirk fans on social media platforms since his death.
—Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 13 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rallying cry
Cite this Entry
“Rallying cry.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rallying%20cry. Accessed 21 Oct. 2025.
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