criticism

noun

crit·​i·​cism ˈkri-tə-ˌsi-zəm How to pronounce criticism (audio)
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
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 Being there again, even with all these criticisms, felt deeply satisfying. Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 11 Oct. 2024 Creating an environment that encourages open communication allows employees to share concerns or criticisms without fear of repercussions. Jack Kelly, Forbes, 11 Oct. 2024 In the days following, the show received criticism for its depiction of Jewish people. Angie Martoccio, Rolling Stone, 10 Oct. 2024 In fact, Musk has gone even further, declaring any criticism of its driver-assistance products amounts to murder. Andrew J. Hawkins, The Verge, 9 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for criticism 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'criticism.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

critic entry 1 + -ism

First Known Use

1606, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of criticism was in 1606

Dictionary Entries Near criticism

Cite this Entry

“Criticism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/criticism. Accessed 14 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

criticism

noun
crit·​i·​cism ˈkrit-ə-ˌsiz-əm How to pronounce criticism (audio)
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

More from Merriam-Webster on criticism

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