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
But Democrats, still reeling from drawing widespread criticism for helping Republicans avoid a shutdown in March, appeared committed this time to not give in without extracting concessions on health care and other priorities.
—
Nik Popli, Time, 1 Oct. 2025
The operations have sparked protests from immigrant advocacy groups and drawn criticism from state Democratic officials, who have expressed concern over the enforcement tactics used in residential communities.
—Billal Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Oct. 2025
Lilith’s success spawned a backlash, which was inevitable, and the whiteness of its 1997 lineup led to valid criticism of its lack of inclusivity.
—Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 30 Sep. 2025
The feedback conversation is about sharing constructive criticism with your boss and up the chain of command in a way that gets your voice heard and your input taken seriously.
—Stav Ziv, CNBC, 30 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for criticism
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Nik Popli, Time, 1 Oct. 2025
The operations have sparked protests from immigrant advocacy groups and drawn criticism from state Democratic officials, who have expressed concern over the enforcement tactics used in residential communities.
—Billal Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Oct. 2025
Lilith’s success spawned a backlash, which was inevitable, and the whiteness of its 1997 lineup led to valid criticism of its lack of inclusivity.
—Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 30 Sep. 2025
The feedback conversation is about sharing constructive criticism with your boss and up the chain of command in a way that gets your voice heard and your input taken seriously.
—Stav Ziv, CNBC, 30 Sep. 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 8 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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