criticism
noun
crit·i·cism
ˈkri-tə-ˌsi-zəm 
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
: critique
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
So far, Trumps criticism of Powell doesn’t appear to have had any bearing on monetary policy, despite temporarily shaking the markets in late April when it was believed Trump might try to fire Powell.
—
Simon Moore, Forbes.com, 2 June 2025
The top seeds cruised on the men’s side of the French Open and the scheduling of women’s tennis matches drew more criticism from a pair of American stars.
—Sam Settleman, New York Times, 1 June 2025
In an exclusive conversation with PEOPLE, the actress, 33, opens up about the unexpected criticism she's received on her physical appearance after starring as Bronte aka Louise Flannery in the final season of You.
—Esther Kang, People.com, 1 June 2025
Humane Society officials also rejected criticism of its executive compensation, saying the salaries and benefits are in line with the skills required to manage a complicated and dynamic organization.
—Jeff McDonald, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for criticism
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Simon Moore, Forbes.com, 2 June 2025
The top seeds cruised on the men’s side of the French Open and the scheduling of women’s tennis matches drew more criticism from a pair of American stars.
—Sam Settleman, New York Times, 1 June 2025
In an exclusive conversation with PEOPLE, the actress, 33, opens up about the unexpected criticism she's received on her physical appearance after starring as Bronte aka Louise Flannery in the final season of You.
—Esther Kang, People.com, 1 June 2025
Humane Society officials also rejected criticism of its executive compensation, saying the salaries and benefits are in line with the skills required to manage a complicated and dynamic organization.
—Jeff McDonald, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for criticism
Cite this Entry
“Criticism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/criticism. Accessed 5 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
criticism
noun
crit·i·cism
ˈkrit-ə-ˌsiz-əm
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
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