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decry

[ dih-krahy ]
/ dɪˈkraɪ /
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verb (used with object), de·cried, de·cry·ing.
to speak disparagingly of; denounce as faulty or worthless; express censure of: She decried the lack of support for the arts in this country.
to condemn or depreciate by proclamation, as foreign or obsolete coins.
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Origin of decry

1610–20; <French décrier,Old French descrier.See dis-1, cry

synonym study for decry

1. Decry, denigrate, deprecate, derogate all involve the expression of censure or disapproval. Decry means to express one's vigorous disapproval of or to denounce: to decry all forms of discrimination. Denigrate means to speak damagingly of, to criticize in derogative terms: denigrating his works as trifling and poorly executed. Deprecate implies the expression of earnest, thoughtful disapproval: to deprecate a plan because of possible environmental damage. Derogate means to speak in such a way as to decrease the status, high quality, or good reputation of someone or something, making the person or object seem of less value: Fear of change makes them derogate every proposal put forth.

OTHER WORDS FROM decry

de·cri·er, nounun·de·cried, adjective

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH decry

decry , descry
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use decry in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for decry

decry
/ (dɪˈkraɪ) /

verb -cries, -crying or -cried (tr)
to express open disapproval of; disparage
to depreciate by proclamationto decry obsolete coinage

Derived forms of decry

decrial, noundecrier, noun

Word Origin for decry

C17: from Old French descrier, from des- dis - 1 + crier to cry
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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