criticize
Americanverb (used with object)
verb (used without object)
-
to find fault; judge unfavorably or harshly.
-
to make judgments as to merits and faults.
verb
-
to judge (something) with disapproval; censure
-
to evaluate or analyse (something)
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
-
criticizernoun
-
overcriticizeverb
-
precriticizeverb (used with object)
-
recriticizeverb (used with object)
-
criticizableadjective
-
noncriticizingadjective
-
uncriticizableadjective
-
uncriticizedadjective
-
uncriticizingadjective
-
well-criticizedadjective
-
criticizinglyadverb
-
uncriticizablyadverb
-
uncriticizinglyadverb
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
criticizesimple
-
criticizessimple
-
have criticizedperfect
-
has criticizedperfect
-
am criticizingprogressive
-
are criticizingprogressive
-
is criticizingprogressive
-
have been criticizingperfect progressive
-
has been criticizingperfect progressive
Past
-
criticizedsimple
-
had criticizedperfect
-
was criticizingprogressive
-
were criticizingprogressive
-
had been criticizingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of criticize
Explanation
To criticize is to find what's wrong with something, like the improbabilities in a movie's plot line, or double standards in your father's rules. The verb criticize comes from the noun, critic, and means "to act like a critic." A critic is someone who judges, and that doesn't have to mean negative judgment (think of a glowing movie review from a movie critic), but when we use criticize we always mean finding what's wrong, instead of what's good, with something. If your friend is just learning to bake, don't criticize his first batch of burned cookies too harshly; he'll just give up.
Vocabulary lists containing criticize
The SAT: Language of the Test, List 3
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
The Language of Standardized Tests, List 2
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
The New SAT: The Language of the Test
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
But tech titan Elon Musk has taken to X on multiple occasions to criticize the film, which in his opinion "desecrated" the story.
From Barron's ● Jul. 28, 2026
Castle said that, while he might criticize some of the government agency’s numbers or methodologies, he believes in the importance of the USDA, saying it’s “still the envy of the world in this sector.”
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 18, 2026
Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson used her concurrence to criticize Bruen and suggest that the court should eventually return to a more traditional means-end approach.
From Slate ● Jun. 26, 2026
Though he mainly went after Becerra, Steyer also made sure to criticize Hilton.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 1, 2026
Was she actually asking me to criticize her?
From "Maybe He Just Likes You" by Barbara Dee
“To a four-year-old, everything Mommy does is wonderful and anyone who criticizes Mommy is bad. Grown-up love means actually understanding what you love, taking the good with the bad and helping your loved one grow.”
From Salon ● Jul. 21, 2026
He then criticizes the $50 billion price tag on the federal scholarship tax credit for education.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 18, 2026
Yet he still believes that he’s a man of the people who should be heeded on every aspect of life, especially on how to disregard all criticism because anyone who criticizes you must be wrong.
From Slate ● Apr. 17, 2026
It sharply criticizes refined carbohydrates, suggesting that lower-carbohydrate diets may benefit people with chronic disease.
From Barron's ● Jan. 7, 2026
But that is the end of it; everything else he criticizes from his own practical point of view.
From "All Quiet on the Western Front: A Novel" by Erich Maria Remarque
Consumers criticized Everlane—a millennial favorite known for its muted hues, office-appropriate basics, and sustainable marketing—when it was recently bought by Chinese fast fashion company Shein.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 3, 2026
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez criticized calls to isolate Spain, arguing the country’s border controls remain intact and warning against measures that could undermine European unity.
From Salon ● Aug. 1, 2026
Long criticized for falling behind in the AI race, Apple is now being rewarded by Wall Street for resisting the vast investments its big tech rivals have poured into chips and data centers.
From Barron's ● Jul. 30, 2026
Meta has been consistently criticized for its spending levels over the past few quarters as the company has overhauled its AI strategy with the creation of Meta Superintelligence Labs.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 28, 2026
He had been criticized with such warnings as, “You’re sending children to do the work of adults,” and these words haunted him.
From "While the World Watched: A Birmingham Bombing Survivor Comes of Age during the Civil Rights Movement" by Carolyn Maull McKinstry
Lorne’s always saying everyone in Hollywood has two jobs: their own job and criticizing “SNL.”
From Salon ● Jul. 5, 2026
Acknowledging and even criticizing our mistakes of the past doesn’t cheapen one’s love for the United States.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 4, 2026
To the naysayers criticizing SpaceX’s rich valuation, smellyfingernail had the following response: “I’m willing to bet there’s more people like me that don’t care about that.”
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 23, 2026
Vance credited Netanyahu for not personally criticizing the deal, but explicitly raised the huge amounts of military aid that the United States gives Israel, its key ally in the Middle East.
From Barron's ● Jun. 18, 2026
The woman had been a palace fixture since she’d been engaged as a wet nurse when Aurelia was born, and she had been interfering and even criticizing ever since.
From "Tiger, Tiger" by Lynne Reid Banks
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
