Definition of criticism
1a : the act of criticizing usually unfavorably seeking encouragement rather than criticismb : a critical observation or remark an unfair criticism had a minor criticism of the designc : 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
From the M-W Editors
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 of criticism from the Web
-
The upswing marks a significant change for the agency, which in recent years has endured criticism and a flash flood that killed some animals.
-
The fashion industry’s attempts at carving a corner of this market haven’t been without criticism, especially in France, where the banning of headscarves and burkinis amid racial tensions and security fears have fueled a heated debate.
-
Ivanka Trump is facing online criticism after the Twitter account for her lifestyle brand tweeted about making champagne ice pops for Memorial Day.
-
The Vietnam Veterans Memorial leadership accommodated much of the criticism.
-
The government is facing criticism after acknowledging that Abedi was on security services' radar, but wasn't a major focus of scrutiny.
-
The announcement garnered some initial criticism on Twitter and Facebook.
-
Alabama Sen. Luther Strange shrugs off Moore and Brooks' criticism to concentrate on 'the issues' At six feet nine inches, Senator Luther Strange doesn't need to go around picking fights.
-
The Littoral Combat Ship, designed for missions in shallow coastal waters, has drawn criticism from Pentagon testing officials and some lawmakers over its reliability and its vulnerability in combat.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'criticism'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of criticism
CRITICISM Defined for English Language Learners
criticism
playDefinition of criticism for English Language Learners
-
: the act of expressing disapproval and of noting the problems or faults of a person or thing : the act of criticizing someone or something
-
: a remark or comment that expresses disapproval of someone or something
-
: the activity of making careful judgments about the good and bad qualities of books, movies, etc.
CRITICISM Defined for Kids
criticism
playDefinition of criticism for Students
1 : the act of finding fault His criticism of her decision made her stop and rethink the plan.
2 : a remark that expresses disapproval I had only one criticism about his work.
3 : a careful judgment or review especially by a person whose job is to judge the value, worth, beauty, or quality of something
Learn More about criticism
-
See words that rhyme with criticism Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for criticism Spanish Central: Translation of criticism Nglish: Translation of criticism for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of criticism for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about criticism
Seen and Heard
What made you want to look up criticism? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).
Writing? Check your grammar now!