1
a
: one who engages often professionally in the analysis, evaluation, or appreciation of works of art or artistic performances
a literary critic
a film critic
a theater critic
b
: one who expresses a reasoned opinion on any matter especially involving a judgment of its value, truth, righteousness, beauty, or technique
Critics of the new law say that it will not reduce crime.
2
: one given to harsh or captious judgment
a fierce critic of immigration policies
Examples of critic in a Sentence
Noun (1)
the president's hard-core critics are going to attack him no matter what he does
the restaurant critic said that the fries at that fast-food outlet were the worst she'd ever eaten
Recent Examples on the Web
Wyatte Grantham-Philips, Chicago Tribune, 14 May 2026
San Diego’s The Old Globe is joining forces with New York’s The Public Theatre to co-host the 2026-27 edition of the BIPOC Critics Lab, an immersive training program created to expand the ranks of American drama critics and arts journalists of color.
—Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 May 2026
He was born in 1906 and, in his twenties, was a writer and critic in Berlin.
—The New Yorker, New Yorker, 13 May 2026
Mary Lovelace O’Neal, whose gestural abstractions consistently ran against the grain, defying the demands placed upon Black painters by critics and artists alike, died on Sunday in Mérida, Mexico.
—Alex Greenberger, ARTnews.com, 13 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for critic
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.
Noun
And critics warn of potential longer-term consequences.
—Wyatte Grantham-Philips, Chicago Tribune, 14 May 2026
San Diego’s The Old Globe is joining forces with New York’s The Public Theatre to co-host the 2026-27 edition of the BIPOC Critics Lab, an immersive training program created to expand the ranks of American drama critics and arts journalists of color.
—Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 May 2026
He was born in 1906 and, in his twenties, was a writer and critic in Berlin.
—The New Yorker, New Yorker, 13 May 2026
Mary Lovelace O’Neal, whose gestural abstractions consistently ran against the grain, defying the demands placed upon Black painters by critics and artists alike, died on Sunday in Mérida, Mexico.
—Alex Greenberger, ARTnews.com, 13 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for critic
Cite this Entry
“Critic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/critic. Accessed 19 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
