cry up: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1/C2 (Low Frequency)Formal, Literary, Archaic
Quick answer
What does “cry up” mean?
To praise or commend enthusiastically, often with exaggeration.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
To praise or commend enthusiastically, often with exaggeration; to boost the reputation of something or someone.
To promote or advocate for something zealously; to speak or write about in a highly favorable manner, sometimes beyond its actual merit.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Slightly more common in British English, especially in literary or historical contexts. American usage is rare and largely confined to formal or ironic registers.
Connotations
In both varieties, it can imply that the praise is excessive or uncritical. May sound dated or deliberately stylistic.
Frequency
Very low frequency in modern corpora for both. More likely encountered in 19th-century literature or modern writing aiming for a formal, slightly archaic tone.
Grammar
How to Use “cry up” in a Sentence
[Subject] cries up [Object][Subject] is cried up as [Complement][Subject] cries up [Object] to [Recipient]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “cry up” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The press cried up the young artist's exhibition as a revolutionary event.
- Politicians are often cried up by their allies before an election.
American English
- The critic cried up the film as an instant classic.
- He spent the interview crying up the benefits of his new investment scheme.
adverb
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
adjective
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. Could appear in marketing or PR contexts describing exaggerated promotion: 'The agency was hired to cry up the new software's capabilities.'
Academic
Rare. Might be used in literary criticism or historical analysis: 'Contemporary reviewers cried up the novel as a masterpiece.'
Everyday
Extremely rare. Would sound formal or odd in casual conversation.
Technical
Not applicable.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “cry up”
- Using it in informal contexts where 'big up' (slang) or 'talk up' would be more natural.
- Confusing it with 'cry over' (to lament).
- Incorrect word order: *'He cried the product up' is less common than 'He cried up the product.'
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is considered formal and somewhat archaic. More common modern equivalents include 'talk up', 'big up' (slang), or simply 'praise highly'.
Yes, it often implies that the praise is excessive, insincere, or overly promotional, suggesting a gap between the praise and the actual value.
Common opposites are 'run down', 'disparage', or 'criticize'. 'Cry down' is an archaic direct antonym.
Yes, it is a separable phrasal verb, though the non-separated form is more frequent (e.g., 'He cried up the book' is more common than 'He cried the book up').
To praise or commend enthusiastically, often with exaggeration.
Cry up is usually formal, literary, archaic in register.
Cry up: in British English it is pronounced /ˌkraɪ ˈʌp/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌkraɪ ˈʌp/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None directly associated; it is itself a phrasal verb idiom.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a town crier (a historical figure who shouts news) standing on a box ('up') loudly announcing the wonderful qualities of a new product—'crying it up' for all to hear.
Conceptual Metaphor
PRAISE IS LOUD VOCALIZATION (to 'cry' something is to shout it; 'up' gives a sense of elevation or increase).
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following sentences uses 'cry up' CORRECTLY?