decry

/dɪˈkɹaɪ/

//dɪˈkɹaɪ// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"decry" is a 5-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“decry” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #47,010 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#47,010
frequency rank, English
5
letters
8
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To denounce as harmful.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

decry vs dry
60% similar
decry vs der
60% similar
decry vs dey
60% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for decry
PropertyValue
Headworddecry
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/dɪˈkɹaɪ/
Letters5
Frequency rank#47,010
Misspellings tracked8
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “decry” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). decry lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for decry is 5 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /dɪˈkɹaɪ/. Corpus data places it at rank #47,010 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 2 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 8 likely wrong-spelling variants for decry, with forms such as "dcery", "ddecry", and "deccry". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "dry", "der", "dey", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: C. 1600, from Middle French decrier (“to denigrate; depreciate”), from Old French descrier (“to shout”) (modern décrier). Doublet of descry. The pejorative meaning had not been present in the Middle English loan, but it was present in the French word from a… The correct English form is decry, spelled D-E-C-R-Y.

Definition

  1. 1
    To denounce as harmful.
  2. 2
    To blame for ills.

Etymology

C. 1600, from Middle French decrier (“to denigrate; depreciate”), from Old French descrier (“to shout”) (modern décrier). Doublet of descry. The pejorative meaning had not been present in the Middle English loan, but it was present in the French word from at least the 13th century, with a meaning of "to denigrate; depreciate; to announce the depreciation or suppression of a currency", presumably from the interpretation of de- as meaning "down, inferior".

This word in other languages

censurar(Español)décrier(Français)herabsetzen(Deutsch)denunciar(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: dcery,ddecry,deccry,decrry,decryy,decyr,dercy,edcry

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of decry - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

dcery2ddecry1deccry1decrry1decryy1decyr2dercy2edcry2
Edit distance from "decry"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "decry"?
"decry" is spelled D-E-C-R-Y. The IPA pronunciation is /dɪˈkɹaɪ/.
What does "decry" mean?
As a verb, "decry" means: To denounce as harmful.
What words are commonly confused with "decry"?
"decry" is commonly confused with "dry", "der", "dey". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "decry"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "decry" is /dɪˈkɹaɪ/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "decry"?
C. 1600, from Middle French decrier (“to denigrate; depreciate”), from Old French descrier (“to shout”) (modern décrier). Doublet of descry. The pejorative meaning had not been present in the Middle English loan, but it was present in the French w... See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “decry”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is D-E-C-R-Y - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /dɪˈkɹaɪ/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “dry” - see the side-by-side comparison. decry vs dry
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list