decry
verb
transitive verb
William Blackstone Dan Sweeney 
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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.”
Synonyms
- bad-mouth
- belittle
- cry down
- denigrate
- deprecate
- depreciate
- derogate
- diminish
- dis [slang]
- diss
- discount
- dismiss
- disparage
- kiss off
- minimize
- play down
- poor-mouth
- put down
- run down
- talk down
- trash
- trash-talk
- vilipend
- write off
Example Sentences
Will Weissert, ajc, 5 Sep. 2022 The president made his own Wilkes-Barre trip last week to discuss increasing funding for police, decry GOP criticism of the FBI after the raid on Trump’s Florida estate, and argue that new, bipartisan gun measures can help reduce violent crime. Will Weissert, BostonGlobe.com, 5 Sep. 2022 But officials, including Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba, decry that issues at the facility are not just a result of recent severe weather, rather in part due to the lack of maintenance over an immense period of time. Ahmad Hemingway, ABC News, 3 Sep. 2022 As some major players in the crypto universe rush to comply, plenty of others decry the move as overly broad and even asinine. Eric Mack, Forbes, 9 Aug. 2022 Many commentators these days, both progressive and conservative, decry a lack of opportunities for the American middle class, the concentration of certain industries under a few owners, and the tilt of startup funding toward a few large cities. Josh Rutzick, WSJ, 28 July 2022 The Chinese often decry the United States’ Cold War mentality. Ishaan Tharoor, Washington Post, 25 July 2022 Trump, meanwhile, has continued to decry the search as a personal attack in which he has been targeted by federal authorities. Kevin Johnson, USA TODAY, 12 Aug. 2022 After Garland’s appearance, Trump took to his own social media network to again decry the FBI search of Mar-a-Lago. Josh Dawsey, BostonGlobe.com, 11 Aug. 2022 See More Word History
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.
1614, in the meaning defined at sense 1
decry
verb
Synonyms & Similar Words
- dismiss
- minimize
- criticize
- diminish
- denigrate
- denounce
- disparage
- condemn
- derogate
- discount
- deprecate
- dislike
- belittle
- dump on
- talk down
- diss
- write off
- run down
- depreciate
- bad-mouth
- cry down
- play down
- trash-talk
- trash
- scold
- kiss off
- dis
- discredit
- vilipend
- abuse
- vilify
- put down
- poor-mouth
- malign
- slander
- discommend
- disgrace
- censure
- defame
- reprehend
- slur
- traduce
- reprobate
- rip
- asperse
- disapprove (of)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- applaud
- laud
- praise
- extol
- exalt
- approve
- glorify
- magnify
- endorse
- recommend
- extoll
- sanction
- favor
- acclaim
- countenance
- indorse
- commend
- compliment
- eulogize
Synonyms & Similar Words
- denounce
- condemn
- criticize
- blame
- attack
- anathematize
- censure
- reprehend
- execrate
- reprobate
- disparage
- damn
- fault
- hate
- chastise
- deprecate
- belittle
- ostracize
- sentence
- abhor
- chide
- dispraise
- berate
- pan
- slam
- diss
- convict
- admonish
- scold
- detest
- excommunicate
- castigate
- knock
- doom
- upbraid
- loathe
- revile
- rebuke
- lambaste
- lambast
- vituperate
- blast
- rake
- blacklist
- dis
- reprimand
- abominate
- reproach
- reprove
- imprecate
- curse
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- approve
- endorse
- bless
- sanction
- laud
- applaud
- praise
- extol
- exalt
- indorse
- glorify
- commend
- salute
- tout
- eulogize
- hail
- extoll
- honor
- sanctify
- revere
- consecrate
- acclaim
- venerate
- hallow
Synonym Chooser
Some common synonyms of decry are belittle, depreciate, and disparage. While all these words mean "to express a low opinion of," decry implies open condemnation with intent to discredit.
The words belittle and decry are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, belittle usually suggests a contemptuous or envious attitude.
The words depreciate and decry can be used in similar contexts, but depreciate implies a representing as being of less value than commonly believed.
Although the words disparage and decry have much in common, disparage implies depreciation by indirect means such as slighting or invidious comparison.