rallying cry

noun

plural rallying cries

1

: a shouted word, phrase, or sound used by a body of fighters before or in battle : battle cry, war cry

… the innocent ejaculation hurrah! became a fearsome rallying cry in Napoleonic times.

—Geoffrey Hughes

2

: something (such as a catchphrase, incident, or event) that is used to excite people to support a cause or to rouse people to action

Lions captain Sam Warburton issued a rallying cry to his team yesterday … by urging them to "reach for the stars".

—Mick Cleary

Ultimately, just 6 per cent of people would tell businesses to "keep doing what you're doing". If these findings do not act as a rallying cry for change, it is unclear what will.

—Frank Luntz

Both campaigns have seized on the attempt to ban that book in schools as a rallying cry.

—Edward Keenan

The much-despised gabelle, a tax first imposed on salt in France in the 13th century and at times soaring to 10 times the cost of producing salt in the first place, became a rallying cry for the French Revolution …

—Ligaya Mishan

Examples of rallying cry in a Sentence

the rallying cry of a political movement

“We believe!” became the rallying cry of the fans.

Recent Examples on the Web

Almost exactly a year ago, Glasnow’s absence provided the impetus for Roberts’ rallying cry that carried the Dodgers to October. —Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2025

Taking on a small rebellion in the middle of a fight for their lives, the boys use that rallying cry to get through the middle slump of their grueling journey. —Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 4 Sep. 2025

More Harry How/Getty Images The rookie guard framed her outlook as more than a short-term rallying cry, pointing to the bigger picture of what Dallas is trying to build. —Grant Afseth, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Aug. 2025

This was his rallying cry for the nation, urging citizens to be bold and courageous in their vision for solutions for not just the US but also the world’s most pressing problems. —Leah M. Wright, CNN Money, 23 Aug. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1797, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for rallying cry

• abscissae
• alibi
• alkali
• alumni
• amoebae
• amplify
• annuli
• beautify
• brachii
• butterfly
• calculi
• certify