cry for

Idioms  

1. Also, cry out for; have a crying need for. Be in urgent need of, as in This wall cries for a second coat of paint, or This car is crying out for a good washing, or There is a crying need for order in this house. The figurative use of cry for, literally meaning “implore” or “weep for,” dates from the late 1500s, as does the use of crying for “demanding attention.” The first variant, alluding to actually shouting out one's needs or desires, dates from the second half of the 1800s.

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Example Sentences

In the years since, Corado’s name has become a rallying cry for the local movement against police brutality.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 9, 2026

It became a rallying cry for activists over the following seven years, culminating in a movement in June 1987 which toppled Chun's regime.

From BBC • May 19, 2026

“Learn a Trade” isn’t just a rallying cry for younger generations to skip college and pursue in-demand blue-collar work.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 7, 2026

“George’s name has become a rallying cry for those who believe in a better future, one where all people are treated with dignity and respect,” it reads.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 6, 2026

Jeanine was not the kind of leader people cry for.

From "Insurgent" by Veronica Roth

Related Words

• ask
• beseech
• recite
• urge