hypercritical

American  

[hahy-per-krit-i-kuhl] / ˌhaɪ pərˈkrɪt ɪ kəl /

adjective

1. excessively or meticulously critical; overcritical.

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hypercritical British  

/ ˌhaɪpəˈkrɪtɪkəl /

adjective

1. excessively or severely critical; carping; captious

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Other Word Forms

• hypercritic
  noun
• hypercritically
  adverb
• hypercriticism
  noun

Etymology

Origin of hypercritical

First recorded in 1595–1605; hyper- + critical

Explanation

Hypercritical describes someone who is full of complaints. That friend you love but avoid going to restaurant with because she thinks the burger is slightly cold, the fork's not shiny enough, the bread too bready? Definitely hypercritical. Make sure you don't mistake hypercritical for hypocritical. If you've ever felt hyper, you know it means "too much energy." So someone who is hypercritical puts too much energy into criticizing and judging. But if you're hypocritical, it means you don't live by the high standards you claim you have. Unfortunately, that means it's possible for a person to be both hypercritical and hypocritical.

Example Sentences

Hypercritical of and mostly hates romance movies, but also won’t watch anything else.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 12, 2021

Hypercritical youth will deny that man has a right to confine his neighbourliness to a single day in the year any more than he has a right to confine his sanctity to the Sabbath.

From The Book of This and That by Lynd, Robert

Hypercritical and eaten up by local and personal jealousies in public life, they are less loyal to parties and leaders, and less capable of permanent organization for a variety of objects.

From The Long White Cloud by Reeves, William Pember