criticize

verb

crit·​i·​cize ˈkri-tə-ˌsīz 

criticized; criticizing

intransitive verb

: to act as a critic

transitive verb

1

: to consider the merits and demerits of and judge accordingly : evaluate

He asked me to criticize his drawings.

2

: to find fault with : point out the faults of

His boss criticized him for his sloppy work.

criticizable

ˈkri-tə-ˌsī-zə-bəl 

adjective

criticizer noun

Synonyms

• blame
• censure
• condemn
• denounce
• dis [slang]
• diss
• dispraise
• fault
• knock
• pan
• reprehend
• slag [chiefly British]

Choose the Right Synonym for criticize

criticize, reprehend, censure, reprobate, condemn, denounce mean to find fault with openly.

criticize implies finding fault especially with methods or policies or intentions.

criticized the police for using violence

reprehend implies both criticism and severe rebuking.

reprehends the self-centeredness of today's students

censure carries a strong suggestion of authority and of reprimanding.

a Senator formally censured by his peers

reprobate implies strong disapproval or firm refusal to sanction.

reprobated his son's unconventional lifestyle

condemn usually suggests an unqualified and final unfavorable judgment.

condemned the government's racial policies

denounce adds to condemn the implication of a public declaration.

a pastoral letter denouncing abortion

Examples of criticize in a Sentence

His boss criticized him for his sloppy work habits.

The judge was widely criticized for his verdict.

The editor criticized the author's work as trite.

It seems as though all he ever does is criticize.

Recent Examples on the Web

California has become the fourth state to ban legacy admissions in the college application process, a practice that has long been criticized as favoring white or wealthy students based on their familial alumni connections. —Kiara Alfonseca, ABC News, 30 Sep. 2024

Beginning with the title track, which criticized the government’s treatment of veterans, but was inevitably misinterpreted as a jingoistic anthem, Born spawned seven singles, all of which hit the Top 10 in the U.S., and captured the pop culture zeitgeist like few other albums of its time. —Spin Staff, SPIN, 30 Sep. 2024

He was criticized for his calls and ended up beefing with sports radio hosts. —Justin Kaufmann, Axios, 30 Sep. 2024

Trump visited Puerto Rico nearly two weeks after Hurricane Maria in 2017, and was criticized for his conduct during the visit, including tossing paper towels to victims and downplaying the death toll. —Sara Dorn, Forbes, 30 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

critic entry 1 + -ize

First Known Use

1621, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Kids Definition

criticize

verb

crit·​i·​cize ˈkrit-ə-ˌsīz 

criticized; criticizing

1

: to examine and judge as a critic

2

: to find fault with