How to Memorize

it was a far cry from what was expected/promised

Analysis

'A far cry from' is an expression that is used as a comparative to describe something that is very different from something else. "Living in Mumbai is a far cry from the English Countryside." If something is a 'far cry' from somewhere it means it is far away. "The hotel is a far cry from the train station." 

Social Examples (Basic)

1. My new house has four bedrooms and a huge back garden. It's a far cry from the small, one-bedroom apartment I lived in when I first moved to Dublin.
2. Living in Europe was a far cry from what I had expected.

Professional Examples (Advance)

1. The radical new design of the product was a far cry from what the Board were expecting. They insisted on a more conservative approach.
2. The end of year bonuses given to staff were a far cry from what had been promised. The company blamed an unexpected drop in sales for the reduced payouts.

Further Suggestions