critique

noun cri·tique \ krə-ˈtēk , kri- \

|Updated on: 14 Aug 2018

Examples: critique in a Sentence

Editor's Note: Did You Know?

Definition of critique

: an act of criticizing; especially : a critical (see critical 1c) estimate or discussion

a critique of the poet's work

an honest critique of her art

See critique defined for English-language learners

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Examples of critique in a Sentence

She wrote a radical critique of the philosopher's early essays.
They gave a fair and honest critique of her art.

Recent Examples of critique from the Web

Sunshine Writers Meets 1st Tuesday of the month, 5:30-7 p.m. Sunshine Writers & Rainbow Friends critique and network.

— mary lou cruz, Sun-Sentinel.com, "Sunrise area events July 18-28," 13 July 2018
Religious leaders who align with the oppressive policies of the empire are subjected to especially harsh critiques in Scripture.

— rachel held evans, Washington Post, "The Bible is literature for the resistance," 12 July 2018
Stigler and those influenced by his work had very sophisticated ideas about how to audit and slowly take over the agencies by getting them to internalize [their] positions and critiques.

— alexander zaitchik, The New Republic, "How Big Pharma Was Captured by the One Percent," 28 June 2018
Lynch’s films and TV work are biting, unnerving critiques of an American dream gone rotten at its core.

— alissa wilkinson, Vox, "David Lynch says his Trump endorsement was out of context, asks Trump to “turn the ship around”," 26 June 2018
The government has faced withering critiques over images of some of the children in cages inside U.S. Border Patrol processing stations.

— Time, "Toddlers Separated From Parents at the Border Are Being Detained in 'Tender Age' Shelters," 20 June 2018
The government has faced withering critiques over images of some of the children in cages inside U.S. Border Patrol processing stations.

— CBS News, "AP: Gov't holding "tender age" migrant kids in at least 3 shelters," 20 June 2018
The government has faced withering critiques over images of children in cages inside U.S. Border Patrol processing stations.

— NBC News, "Trump officials send migrant babies, toddlers to 'tender age' shelters," 20 June 2018
The government has faced withering critiques over images of some of the children in cages inside US Border Patrol processing stations.

— garance burke and martha mendoza, The Christian Science Monitor, "More than 2,300 migrant babies and toddlers kept alone in US shelters," 20 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'critique.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Did You Know?

Critique is an alteration of an archaic word that referred generally to criticism. Critique itself dates to the early 18th century and originally referred to a piece of writing that criticized a literary or artistic work. The words criticism, critique, and review overlap in meaning. Criticism usually means "the act of criticizing" or a "remark or comment that expresses disapproval," but it can also refer to the activity of making judgments about the qualities of books, movies, etc. (as in "literary criticism").Critique is a somewhat formal word that typically refers to a careful judgment in which someone gives an opinion about something. Review can refer to an essay analyzing a literary or artistic work, but can also sometimes imply a more casual or personal opinion.

Origin and Etymology of critique

borrowed from French, borrowed from Latin critica "evaluation of literary works," borrowed from Greek kritikḗ noun derivative from feminine of kritikós "discerning, capable of judging" — more at ¹critic

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First Known Use: 1653

in the meaning defined above

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