decrying

Decrying is the act of publicly expressing strong disapproval or condemnation of a policy, action, practice, or condition. The verb decry (present decry/ decries; past decried; present participle decrying) is derived from Old French descrier, meaning to cry out against.

In practice, decrying is common in journalism, politics, advocacy, and public commentary. It is used to draw attention to perceived wrongs and to frame issues as morally unacceptable. The object of decrying can be a person, policy, institution, or social condition: decrying corruption, decrying censorship, decrying discrimination.

Nuance: Decrying often implies a normative judgment and a call for change. It tends to be more forceful than ordinary criticism and may carry rhetorical or moral weight. It is typically directed at public audiences rather than private opinions.

Relation to other terms: Decrying overlaps with condemning, denouncing, criticizing, and deprecating, but emphasizes vocal public outcry against perceived injustices rather than neutral assessment. The choice among them can affect perceived intent and tone.

See also: condemn; denounce; criticize; censure.