Definition, Meaning & Synonyms
cry-wolf
idiom
/kraɪ wʊlf/
Definition
To raise a false alarm or to make a false claim, especially to gain attention or provoke a response.
Examples
- The boy learned the hard way after he cried wolf too many times and no one believed him when he actually needed help.
- If you keep crying wolf about your car problems, no one will come to help you when something serious happens.
Meaning
The phrase originates from the fable of ‘The Boy Who Cried Wolf,’ where a shepherd boy falsely alerts his village of a wolf threat, only to lose their trust when a real danger appears.
Synonyms
- raise a false alarm
- blow the whistle falsely
- fool someone
