criticism
noun
crit·i·cism
ˈkri-tə-ˌsi-zəm 
1
a
: the act of criticizing usually unfavorably
seeking encouragement rather than criticism
b
: a critical observation or remark
an unfair criticism
had a minor criticism of the design
c
: critique
2
: the art of evaluating or analyzing works of art or literature
also
: writings expressing such evaluation or analysis
an anthology of literary criticism
3
: the scientific investigation of literary documents (such as the Bible) in regard to such matters as origin, text, composition, or history
Examples of criticism in a Sentence
There was much public criticism directed at the senator.
In this job you need to be able to take criticism.
I asked my sister for some constructive criticism of my essay before I tried to revise it.
I had one minor criticism about her design.
Recent Examples on the Web
The entrepreneur and yoga instructor has previously spoken out about facing criticism over the authenticity of her Spanish accent (she was raised bilingual).
—
Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 14 Oct. 2025
But some of his comments on gun violence, LGBTQ issues, race and more drew criticism from liberals and others.
—Alexandra Hutzler, ABC News, 14 Oct. 2025
Whitney Cummings is speaking out on the criticism of those who performed at Saudi Arabia’s debut Riyadh Comedy Festival.
—Denise Petski, Deadline, 14 Oct. 2025
The fallout from that trade, combined with injuries to Kyrie Irving and Anthony Davis, derailed the Mavericks’ playoff hopes and led to widespread criticism of the team’s management.
—Evan Dammarell, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for criticism
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Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 14 Oct. 2025
But some of his comments on gun violence, LGBTQ issues, race and more drew criticism from liberals and others.
—Alexandra Hutzler, ABC News, 14 Oct. 2025
Whitney Cummings is speaking out on the criticism of those who performed at Saudi Arabia’s debut Riyadh Comedy Festival.
—Denise Petski, Deadline, 14 Oct. 2025
The fallout from that trade, combined with injuries to Kyrie Irving and Anthony Davis, derailed the Mavericks’ playoff hopes and led to widespread criticism of the team’s management.
—Evan Dammarell, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for criticism
Cite this Entry
“Criticism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/criticism. Accessed 18 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
criticism
noun
crit·i·cism
ˈkrit-ə-ˌsiz-əm
1
: the act of criticizing and especially of finding fault
2
: a critical remark or comment
3
: a careful judgment or review especially by a critic
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