commentary
noun
com·men·tary
ˈkä-mən-ˌter-ē 
-ˌte-rē
plural commentaries
1
a
: an explanatory treatise
—usually used in plural
Blackstone's Commentaries on the Laws of England
b
: a record of events usually written by a participant
—usually used in plural
Caesar's Commentaries on the Gallic War
2
a
: a systematic series of explanations or interpretations (as of a writing)
a commentary on Dante's Divine Comedy
b
3
a
: something that serves for illustration or explanation
The dark, airless apartments and sunless factories … are a sad commentary upon our civilization.—
H. A. Overstreet
H. A. Overstreet
b
: an expression of opinion
The magazine article is a commentary on cyberbullying.
Examples of commentary in a Sentence
The television show features political commentary by well-known journalists.
The magazine includes humor and social commentary.
The book is a commentary on her experiences abroad.
I like listening to his social commentaries.
He provided commentary during the game.
The major television stations provided running commentaries on the election results.
Recent Examples on the Web
By the time the 2026 World Cup begins, many younger fans may spend as much time consuming creator commentary, reactions and livestream content around matches as the matches themselves.
—Ian Shepherd, Forbes.com, 31 May 2026
Tan’s commentary on customer spending intentions over the next 12 to 18 months will be closely watched.
—Kevin Stankiewicz,zev Fima, CNBC, 31 May 2026
His commentary also addressed the Texas Rangers’ early-season struggles and the missing star power at a marquee Fort Worth golf event.
—Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 31 May 2026
Meanwhile, Jon Moxley, who was on commentary for the match, was attacked by Shane Taylor, Shawn Dean and Carlie Bravo.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 31 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for commentary
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Ian Shepherd, Forbes.com, 31 May 2026
Tan’s commentary on customer spending intentions over the next 12 to 18 months will be closely watched.
—Kevin Stankiewicz,zev Fima, CNBC, 31 May 2026
His commentary also addressed the Texas Rangers’ early-season struggles and the missing star power at a marquee Fort Worth golf event.
—Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 31 May 2026
Meanwhile, Jon Moxley, who was on commentary for the match, was attacked by Shane Taylor, Shawn Dean and Carlie Bravo.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 31 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for commentary
Cite this Entry
“Commentary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/commentary. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
commentary
noun
com·men·tary
ˈkäm-ən-ˌter-ē
plural commentaries
: a series of comments or notes
also
: a book made up of such material
—usually used in plural
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
