Definition, Meaning & Synonyms
cry-wolf
idiom
/kraɪ wʊlf/
Definition
To raise a false alarm or to call for help when it is not needed, which can lead others to disregard future warnings.
Examples
- After crying wolf so many times, no one believed him when he finally needed help.
- She tends to cry wolf during meetings, which frustrates her colleagues.
Meaning
The phrase comes from the fable of ‘The Boy Who Cried Wolf,’ where a boy falsely claims that a wolf is attacking his sheep, leading to no one believing him when a wolf actually appears.
Synonyms
- raise a false alarm
- give a false warning
