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 Less than a year after the police killing of Keith Lamont Scott, Galindo’s death drew new criticism and brought protesters to Charlotte City Council. Ryan Oehrli, Charlotte Observer, 5 Mar. 2024 Still, the scope of the majority opinion was the subject of harsh criticism from the liberal justices. Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 5 Mar. 2024 While Ross has faced criticism for decisions he’s made, the resources he’s poured into the organization can’t be questioned, from the team’s state-of-the-art facility in Miami Gardens to his willingness to invest significant money to bring in top players in the offseason. Daniel Oyefusi, Miami Herald, 3 Mar. 2024 The American diplomat’s criticism comes as Hong Kong tries to bolster its position as an international business center and attract tourists to boost its flagging economy. Alan Wong, Fortune Asia, 2 Mar. 2024 But as the civilian death toll in Gaza has climbed, Biden has gone public with criticism of Netanyahu's military response. Emma Bowman, NPR, 2 Mar. 2024 In recent weeks, Haley has grown increasingly direct in her criticism of Trump but hasn’t managed to win any contests. Jonathan Shorman, Kansas City Star, 2 Mar. 2024 The comments under the startup’s Instagram videos are peppered with criticism. Laura Paddison, CNN, 1 Mar. 2024 The film received sharp criticism for casting white actors in all roles except for the villain. Kelly Lawler, USA TODAY, 22 Feb. 2024

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 19 Mar. 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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