Meaning: This idiom is used to describe the act of raising a false alarm or giving a false warning about a threat or danger, especially repeatedly, which leads others to dismiss genuine concerns or ignore future warnings. It implies exaggerating or fabricating situations that require urgent attention.
Usage in Example Sentences:
- “He’s always crying wolf about his health issues; it’s hard to take him seriously anymore.”
- “After several false alarms, the school stopped responding to the student’s cries of bullying, accusing him of crying wolf.”
- “The company’s CEO warned of an impending crisis, but employees suspected she was just crying wolf to deflect attention from other issues.”
Origin: The idiom “crying wolf” originates from one of Aesop’s fables, specifically “The Boy Who Cried Wolf.” In the fable, a shepherd boy repeatedly tricks nearby villagers into thinking a wolf is attacking his flock of sheep by falsely crying out for help. When a real wolf finally appears and the boy cries for help, the villagers ignore him, believing it to be another false alarm. The moral of the story warns against the consequences of dishonesty and deception. Over time, “crying wolf” has become a common idiom used to caution against raising false alarms or making unfounded claims, which can lead to skepticism or disregard for genuine emergencies.
