decried; decrying
1
: to depreciate (something, such as a coin) officially or publicly
the king may at any time decry … any coin of the kingdom—
William Blackstone
William Blackstone2
: to express strong disapproval of
decry the emphasis on sex
… has decried the medical marijuana ballot initiative as being rife with loopholes.—Dan Sweeney
Dan Sweeney
Did you know?
Decry has several synonyms in English, among them disparage and belittle. Decry connotes an open condemnation that makes it the best choice for cases in which criticism is not at all veiled. The forthrightness expressed by the word is an echo from its ancestry: decry was borrowed in the 17th century from the French décrier, meaning "to discredit, depreciate," and the crier in that word is also the source of our word cry, the oldest meaning of which is “to utter loudly; shout.”
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
Meanwhile, Trump's current VP, JD Vance, joined him on the defensive on Thursday evening, decrying the most recent link between Trump and Epstein: a Wall Street Journal exclusive that revealed a lewd birthday message Trump allegedly wrote to his billionaire buddy.
—Meredith Kile, People.com, 18 July 2025
The attorneys who represent the migrant had decried the fact that Martinez-Velasquez was being held at a men’s facility.
—Michael Dorgan, FOXNews.com, 18 July 2025
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni also decried the U.S. tariffs but supported the European Commission in negotiating on behalf of the trade bloc.
—Kate Nishimura, Sourcing Journal, 15 July 2025
Parents groups, nonprofits, and education advocates decrying the review are also expected to mount lawsuits against the administration, according to sources familiar.
—ABC News, 14 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for decry
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Meredith Kile, People.com, 18 July 2025
The attorneys who represent the migrant had decried the fact that Martinez-Velasquez was being held at a men’s facility.
—Michael Dorgan, FOXNews.com, 18 July 2025
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni also decried the U.S. tariffs but supported the European Commission in negotiating on behalf of the trade bloc.
—Kate Nishimura, Sourcing Journal, 15 July 2025
Parents groups, nonprofits, and education advocates decrying the review are also expected to mount lawsuits against the administration, according to sources familiar.
—ABC News, 14 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for decry
Cite this Entry
“Decry.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/decry. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.
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