- To raise a false alarm; to repeatedly call for help or claim something is wrong when it isn't.
- The consequence is that people stop believing you, even when there is a real danger or problem.
Explanation
Origin
- From Aesop's fable The Boy Who Cried Wolf.
- In the story, a shepherd boy repeatedly tricks nearby villagers by shouting that a wolf is attacking his flock.
- When a wolf actually appears, the villagers ignore his genuine cries for help because they think it's another false alarm, and the wolf eats the sheep.
Synonyms & Related Expressions
Alternatives
Slang/Informal:
- Be full of shit (about the danger)
- Be tripping (AAVE: panicking/exaggerating unnecessarily)
- Being dramatic
- Making mountains out of molehills (general exaggeration)
- Alarmist
Vulgar/Emphatic:
- Stop fucking lying about emergencies
- Quit your bullshit alarms
- Being a drama queen/king (often gendered)
Milder/Formal:
- Raise false alarms repeatedly
- Be overly alarmist
- Exaggerate threats
- Suffer from diminished credibility due to past claims
- Issue unwarranted warnings
Situational Appropriateness
- Informal to formal. The fable and its meaning are widely known and applicable in many contexts.
Misunderstanding Warnings
- Very unlikely to be misunderstood due to the widespread knowledge of the underlying fable.
Examples
- He has cried wolf about resigning so many times that nobody takes him seriously anymore.
- The alarm system keeps malfunctioning and crying wolf.
- Make sure there's a real emergency before you call 911; don't cry wolf.
Dialogue
Team Member A: Jamie says the project deadline is impossible and we're heading for disaster!
Team Member B: Again? He cries wolf every time things get a little challenging. Is it actually that bad?
Team Member A: I don't know, but his constant panic makes it hard to tell when there's a real issue.
Social Media Examples
- Tweet: That news outlet cries wolf with sensational headlines every day. Hard to trust them anymore. #media #clickbait
- Forum comment: My car makes weird noises sometimes, but I don't want to cry wolf to the mechanic unless it's consistent. #cars #mechanicadvice
- Blog post: The danger of crying wolf in cybersecurity alerts: alert fatigue leads to real threats being missed. #cybersecurity #infosec
Response Patterns
- Skepticism/Dismissal: Are you sure this time? You tend to cry wolf. / I'll believe it when I see it.
- Warning: If you keep crying wolf, no one will listen when you really need help.
- Annoyance: Oh, not again! Stop crying wolf!
- Careful consideration (despite history): Okay, but maybe this time it's real. We should check.
Common Follow-up Questions/Actions
- Questioning the validity of the current alarm based on past behavior.
- Discussing the person's lack of credibility.
- Warning the person about the consequences of false alarms.
- Deciding whether to investigate the current claim despite skepticism.
Conversation Starter
- No. Refers to a pattern of behavior (false alarms) already observed or suspected.
Intonation
- Stress on CRY WOLF. Stop CRYING WOLF! or He's known for CRYING WOLF.
- Can be used as a warning or an accusation.
Generation Differences
- Understood by all generations familiar with the common fable.
Regional Variations
- Common in all English-speaking regions.