cry wolf

/kraɪ wʊlf/◆idiom

raise false alarms

The boy kept crying wolf about a wolf attack, so when the real wolf came, no one believed him.

The boy repeatedly raised false alarms about a wolf, causing people to ignore his genuine warning.

◆ What It Really Means

To repeatedly raise false alarms or lie to gain attention, making others less likely to believe you when you are telling the truth.

¶ Literal Meaning

To literally shout 'wolf' to warn of a wolf attack.

Literal Breakdown

cryto shout or call out+wolfa wild carnivorous mammal

◇ Mental Image

A shepherd boy shouting 'Wolf!' to trick villagers into coming to his aid, only to do it repeatedly without real danger.

◈ When to Use

A coworker constantly claims there’s a crisis to get attention, but when a real crisis occurs, no one listens.

◉ Cultural Note

Originates from Aesop's fable, a moral story about the consequences of lying and the importance of honesty.

informal

to give a false alarm or raise a false alarm repeatedly, causing others to ignore genuine warnings

The fire alarm went off, but it was just a drill—someone had been crying wolf all week.

Repeated false alarms made people ignore the alarm, even when it might have been real.

Don’t cry wolf about your project being late; we need to trust your deadlines.

Don’t repeatedly raise false alarms about delays; we need reliable updates.

Often used to describe someone who habitually lies or exaggerates to get attention.

Collocations

cry wolf too oftenhabitually give false alarmsstop crying wolfstop raising false alarms

a person who habitually lies or exaggerates

wolf in sheep's clothingidiom

a danger disguised as something harmless

Pro Tip

Avoid overusing alarms

If you cry wolf too often, people may stop taking your warnings seriously, even when they are real.

Gold Rule

Trustworthiness matters

Only raise alarms when they are genuine; repeated false alarms damage credibility.

Word Origin

From the Aesop's fable 'The Boy Who Cried Wolf,' where a shepherd boy repeatedly tricks villagers into thinking a wolf is attacking his flock by shouting 'Wolf!' When a real wolf appears, the villagers ignore his cries, leading to the sheep being eaten.

Usage Notes

This idiom is used to criticize someone who habitually lies or exaggerates to gain attention, making others less likely to believe them when they are telling the truth.

Word Breakdown

cry

to shout or call out

verb

wolf

a wild carnivorous mammal

noun

English Dictionary

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