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What’s the difference between criticism and critique? There’s some overlap in meaning, but they’re not the same in every situation. Criticism is most often used broadly to refer to the act of negatively criticizing someone or something (“I’m more interested in encouragement right now than criticism”) or a remark or comment that expresses disapproval (“She shared a minor criticism about the design”), while critique is a more formal word for a carefully expressed judgment, opinion, or evaluation of both the good and bad qualities of something—for example, books or movies. Thus, a critic can write a critique that may be full of criticism.
Examples of critique in a Sentence
Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 24 Oct. 2025
Moyn’s review is less a critique of my book than a reflection of his casual approach to the history and stakes of the Russia–Ukraine war.
—David Wingrave, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025
Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 23 Oct. 2025
The interview sparked controversy with Payne seemingly drinking whiskey while making remarks about Simon Cowell forming One Direction around him and particularly critiquing Malik.
—Latoya Gayle, PEOPLE, 21 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for critique
Cite this Entry
“Critique.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/critique. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
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