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
There has also been criticism of Chalamet’s aggressive campaigning.
—
Los Angeles Times, 12 Mar. 2026
That criticism helped spur a push in Lakewood to create an independent civilian oversight board for the city’s police department.
—The Denver Post, Denver Post, 12 Mar. 2026
The suspension of Global Entry, long promoted by the government as a time-saving benefit for frequent international travelers, drew swift criticism from Democratic lawmakers and industry groups.
—Hanna Park, CNN Money, 11 Mar. 2026
In an interview with Semafor’s Ben Smith Wednesday, Whitmer said despite criticism from the left, her work with the president has paid off on the problem of Asian carp in the Great Lakes, disaster funding, and the future of the Selfridge Air National Guard Base.
—Laura McGann, semafor.com, 11 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for criticism
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Los Angeles Times, 12 Mar. 2026
That criticism helped spur a push in Lakewood to create an independent civilian oversight board for the city’s police department.
—The Denver Post, Denver Post, 12 Mar. 2026
The suspension of Global Entry, long promoted by the government as a time-saving benefit for frequent international travelers, drew swift criticism from Democratic lawmakers and industry groups.
—Hanna Park, CNN Money, 11 Mar. 2026
In an interview with Semafor’s Ben Smith Wednesday, Whitmer said despite criticism from the left, her work with the president has paid off on the problem of Asian carp in the Great Lakes, disaster funding, and the future of the Selfridge Air National Guard Base.
—Laura McGann, semafor.com, 11 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for criticism
Cite this Entry
“Criticism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/criticism. Accessed 15 Mar. 2026.
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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