What does decried mean?
Decried is the past tense and past participle of the verb decry, meaning to publicly condemn or denounce something as wrong, harmful, or unworthy. When an action is decried, it is criticized openly and emphatically — by commentators, officials, advocacy groups, or the public — rather than merely disapproved of in private. The verb carries a formal tone and appears most often in journalism, political discourse, and academic writing, typically in constructions such as 'critics decried the measure as short-sighted.' Its connotations are strongly negative toward whatever is being criticized, and it implies a public voice raised in objection. The word traces back through French décrier ('to cry down' or 'proclaim against'), formed from Latin roots relating to calling out, which gives it a vivid sense of loud, vocal censure. It should not be confused with descry, a rare word meaning to catch sight of something.
verb (past tense and past participle of 'decry')To publicly criticize or denounce something as wrong, harmful, or undesirable; to express strong open disapproval of.
- To publicly denounce or express strong disapproval of something as harmful or wrong.
"Critics decried the new policy as an attack on free speech."
"Environmental groups decried the government's decision to expand offshore drilling."
"In her column, she decried the growing indifference to local journalism."
Despite sounding like 'cry', 'decry' has nothing to do with tears — it comes from a French word meaning to call down or proclaim against, making its critics loud, not weepy.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of decried
Decry entered English in the early 17th century from the French décrier, meaning 'to cry down' or 'to proclaim against,' itself built on Latin roots combining de- ('down') with quiritare/cry-related verbs of calling out. The underlying sense is that of loudly proclaiming disapproval, akin to related English words such as declaim, exclaim, and proclaim, all derived from the Latin clamare ('to shout'). The spelling was influenced by the native word 'cry.'
Related word forms
How decried is actually used
Formal to neutral register, common in journalism and political commentary. Typically used with 'as' to specify what something is being criticized for. Carries a connotation of public, often moral condemnation rather than mere complaint.
Easily confused with decried
'Descry' means to catch sight of or detect something distant, while 'decry' means to openly criticize something.