decry
/di'krai/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Verb:
- To publicly express strong disapproval of; to denounce or condemn openly: "decry" means to criticize something or someone severely and publicly, often with the intent to discredit or lower in estimation.
- To depreciate or belittle the value or importance of something: "decry" can also mean to disparage or speak dismissively about the worth, quality, or significance of something.
Examples of Usage
- Verb:
- The editorial decried the government's inaction on the climate crisis.
- He decried the declining standards in modern journalism.
- Critics decry the film as being overly sentimental and lacking substance.
Advanced Usage
- "to decry something as [adjective/noun]": to publicly condemn something by labeling it in a negative way.
- The new policy was decried as a blatant violation of civil liberties.
- "to decry the lack of...": to express strong disapproval about the absence of something.
- Activists decry the lack of affordable housing in the city.
Variants and Related Words
- Decrial (n, rare): The act of decrying; strong public disapproval.
- The decrial of the proposal was swift and widespread.
Synonyms
- Condemn: To express complete disapproval of, typically in public.
- Denounce: To publicly declare something to be wrong or evil.
- Censure: To express severe disapproval, often formally.
- Deplore: To feel or express strong disapproval of something.
Antonyms
- Praise: To express warm approval or admiration.
- Applaud: To show approval or praise by clapping or spoken commendation.
- Commend: To praise formally or officially.
- Acclaim: To praise enthusiastically and publicly.
Related Phrases
- "to raise a cry against": This phrase is conceptually similar to "decry," meaning to protest or object to something loudly.
- The community raised a cry against the planned demolition.
Verb
- express strong disapproval of
- We condemn the racism in South Africa
- These ideas were reprobated