decrying 1 of 2

adjective

as in slighting
intended to make a person or thing seem of little importance or value the usual decrying remarks about the clothes that the stars wore to the awards ceremony

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

decrying

2 of 2

verb

present participle of decry
1
as in dismissing
to express scornfully one's low opinion of scientists were quick to decry the claims of the psychic

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in denouncing
to declare to be morally wrong or evil a statement by the church decrying modern society's liberal attitude regarding marriage and divorce

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of decrying
Verb
Families of the sailors are decrying the conditions on board, particularly regarding mental health issues and a shortage of fresh food and supplies. — Brittney Melton, NPR, 17 Aug. 2026 On the radio recently, the DJs were decrying how expensive Ponza is becoming. — Laura Itzkowitz, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 Aug. 2026 Lloyd Webber, while decrying the overall costs of Broadway, did not disclose figures for Jellicle. — Greg Evans, Deadline, 15 July 2026 The internet is swarming with articles and videos decrying the decision. — Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026 Both blog posts have comments decrying Sony’s announcements and their implications for ownership and long-term access to PlayStation games. — Scharon Harding, ArsTechnica, 1 July 2026 No sooner had the Supreme Court issued its opinion in a big campaign-finance case yesterday than my inbox began filling up with nongovernmental organizations and Democratic leaders decrying the ruling. — David A. Graham, The Atlantic, 1 July 2026 As police release the video, Wallace's mother is decrying what happened to her son. — Shardaa Gray, CBS News, 30 June 2026 Team Melli was essentially the home team in the Los Angeles area for its second straight match in front of a stadium packed with fans from the diaspora both supporting the Iranians and decrying the government, with boos of the anthem and hundreds of pre-revolutionary Lion and Sun flags displayed. — ABC News, 21 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for decrying
  1. insulting
  2. dismissing
  3. denouncing
  4. degrading
  5. minimizing
  6. condemning
  7. malicious
  8. diminishing
Adjective
  • At the end of the last cruise, everyone shunned me, except for Roy, who instead was cruel and insulting to me.
    — Abigail Van Buren, Boston Herald, 6 Aug. 2026
  • This struck Stevens and her allies as immature, insulting, and more than a little sexist.
    — David Weigel, semafor.com, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of insulting
Verb
  • In the filing, the Justice Department urged the appeals court to reverse the Tennessee federal judge’s ruling dismissing criminal charges against Abrego Garcia.
    — Siladitya Ray, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026
  • The book resuscitates the childhood feeling that most of us spend our lives tamping down and dismissing, if not completely extinguishing.
    — Chris Ware, The New York Review of Books, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of dismissing
Verb
  • Curtis’ office, and created online petitions denouncing Kurv’s industrial plan, garnering more than 1,000 signatures.
    — Brian J. Rogal, Chicago Tribune, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Initially, diplomats assigned to the region sought to counter Bukele’s growing influence by sharply denouncing his anti-democratic impulses.
    — Daniel Castro, New Yorker, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of denouncing
Adjective
  • By suggesting that Black women would willingly place their own children in mortal danger for profit, such narratives provided yet another means of humiliating, degrading and dehumanizing African Americans.
    — The Conversation, The Conversation, 11 Aug. 2026
  • With fracking — which is already outlawed on offshore platforms in California waters, and is widely viewed as an environmentally degrading and often risky process — Gilda’s production would jump to about 4,000 barrels a day.
    — Andre Mouchard, Oc Register, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of degrading
Verb
  • That’s no problem for them, because the failures occur years after the discussions, minimizing the political risk to those who voted for these misguided plans.
    — Torrey Snow, Baltimore Sun, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Patagonia, for example, has long organized itself around a commitment to minimizing its impact on the planet.
    — Kristin Stoller, Fortune, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of minimizing
Verb
  • Iran and Pakistan together have forced out millions of Afghans who sought refuge in those countries, effectively condemning the women and girls among them to suffer the Taliban’s persecution.
    — Rina Amiri, Foreign Affairs, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Democratic socialist candidates have unseated more moderate incumbents in primaries in Colorado, Michigan and New York while condemning actions by the state of Israel.
    — Amanda Rosa, Miami Herald, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of condemning
Adjective
  • This will likely not be the last time US courts see the malicious tactic, as AI tools become more commonplace in court systems.
    — Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 14 Aug. 2026
  • After all, an agent could accept a URL and download a malicious package without its human user even knowing.
    — David Berreby, IEEE Spectrum, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of malicious
Verb
  • Several Gulf countries have already announced plans to expand or build new pipeline capacity to evade the Strait of Hormuz, likely diminishing its importance as a chokepoint within several years.
    — Jason Bordoff, Foreign Affairs, 14 Aug. 2026
  • But each step up the sanctions ladder brings greater diplomatic costs — and diminishing certainty that additional economic damage will translate into political concessions.
    — Magdalena Del Valle, Fortune, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of diminishing

Browse Nearby Words

decry
decrying
decrypt
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Decrying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/decrying. Accessed 22 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on decrying

Nglish: Translation of decrying for Spanish Speakers

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!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of august

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

How to Pronounce the Trickiest Menu Items

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Aug. 21

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
alt-684346df967d5
Add A Letter Quiz Pick the letter that goes in the same spot in fou...
See All