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
The deal has received criticism with key proxy advisor Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS) recommending on Monday that shareholders vote against the acquisition.
—
Arjun Kharpal, CNBC, 21 Oct. 2025
Art and Commerce The Vuitton stand at Art Basel is likewise dominated by an eight-meter-high sculpture of an octopus, inspired by Chinese lanterns, which Murakami described as a way of countering potential criticism of his ongoing practice of blurring his art practice with his brand collaborations.
—Joelle Diderich, Footwear News, 21 Oct. 2025
Her reviews, interviews and cultural criticism have appeared in NPR, BBC Culture, the New York Times Book Review, the Guardian, Bookforum, Paris Review, the Washington Post, Boston Globe, and the Los Angeles Times, among other publications.
—Literary Hub, 21 Oct. 2025
Trump instead placed a photo of a pen, referring to his constant criticism for Biden using the auto pen for his signature during his presidency.
—Emily Goodin, Miami Herald, 21 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for criticism
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.
Arjun Kharpal, CNBC, 21 Oct. 2025
Art and Commerce The Vuitton stand at Art Basel is likewise dominated by an eight-meter-high sculpture of an octopus, inspired by Chinese lanterns, which Murakami described as a way of countering potential criticism of his ongoing practice of blurring his art practice with his brand collaborations.
—Joelle Diderich, Footwear News, 21 Oct. 2025
Her reviews, interviews and cultural criticism have appeared in NPR, BBC Culture, the New York Times Book Review, the Guardian, Bookforum, Paris Review, the Washington Post, Boston Globe, and the Los Angeles Times, among other publications.
—Literary Hub, 21 Oct. 2025
Trump instead placed a photo of a pen, referring to his constant criticism for Biden using the auto pen for his signature during his presidency.
—Emily Goodin, Miami Herald, 21 Oct. 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 24 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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share