comment
Americannoun
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comments
plural
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a remark, observation, or criticism.
a comment about the weather.
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His frequent absences gave rise to comment.
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a criticism or interpretation, often by implication or suggestion.
The play is a comment on modern society.
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Digital Technology. a user response to published content on the internet, written in a designated “Comments” section, often below the published content.
There were many online comments criticizing the author.
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a note in explanation, expansion, or criticism of a passage in a book, article, or the like; annotation.
- Synonyms:
- commentary, addendum
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explanatory or critical matter added to a text.
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Also called rheme. Linguistics. the part of a sentence that communicates new information about the topic.
verb (used without object)
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comments,
present (3rd person singular)
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commented,
past participle, past
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commenting
present participle
verb (used with object)
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comments,
present (3rd person singular)
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commented,
past participle, past
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commenting
present participle
noun
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a remark, criticism, or observation
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talk or gossip
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a note explaining or criticizing a passage in a text
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explanatory or critical matter added to a text
verb
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to remark or express an opinion
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(intr) to write notes explaining or criticizing a text
Usage
What is a basic definition of comment? A comment is a remark or observation that expresses a person’s observation or criticism. To comment is to make such a remark. A comment is also a reply from a user to published material on the internet. Comment has several other senses as a noun and a verb. When people make comments, they are giving their opinion or perspective on something in the form of an observation or criticism. Comments are usually short statements. The word commentary is used for longer criticism or a group of comments. A person who offers a comment is a commenter.
- Real-life examples: Managers often want (or pretend to want) comments from their staff when looking for feedback about something. When people chat, they often share comments about many topics, such as sports, the weather, or politics. A backseat driver delivers unwanted comments about another person’s driving abilities.
- Used in a sentence: The contractor listened to the owner’s comments about what the new house should look like.
- Used in a sentence: The company didn’t want to comment on the scandal.
- Real-life examples: News websites and YouTube videos allow users to post comments. Most websites will ban or suspend users who post especially profane or offensive comments.
- Used in a sentence: The video resulted in a lot of supportive comments from fans.
Synonym Usage
See remark.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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commentsimple
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commentssimple
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have commentedperfect
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has commentedperfect
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am commentingprogressive
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are commentingprogressive
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is commentingprogressive
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have been commentingperfect progressive
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has been commentingperfect progressive
Past
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commentedsimple
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had commentedperfect
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was commentingprogressive
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were commentingprogressive
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had been commentingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of comment
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English com(m)ent “explanatory note, comment,” from Old French comment “commentary,” from Late Latin commentum “interpretation, comment,” from Latin: “device, fabrication, falsehood,” noun use of neuter of commentus “contrived,” past participle of comminīscī “to contrive, devise”; cf. com- ( def. ), mental 1 ( def. )
Explanation
To comment is to state your opinion or make a remark on something. Of course, it's good to know when to hold your tongue. Comment on the latest movie? No problem. Comment on the annoying airport security measures while having your baggage checked? Better not. A written explanation or criticism is a comment. Your teacher's comments on your paper may thrill you when you do excellent work or unnerve you when you receive the message, "See me!" If you state your opinion, this is also a comment. Politicians talking to the press are fond of the statement, "No comment," which means they don't want to express an opinion — or more likely, they don't want to get in trouble.
Vocabulary lists containing comment
Cormac McCarthy's "The Road"
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"Made You Laugh"
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The Titan's Curse
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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:
Polymaker did not respond to requests for comment.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 10, 2026
Lyft declined to comment on driver pay, but a spokesman said the company “does well when drivers do well.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 10, 2026
The agency is seeking public comment on the proposal.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026
Anthropic did not immediately respond to a request from AFP for comment.
From Barron's ● Oct. 9, 2026
He also puzzled over the doctor’s comment, “I’m an American.”
From "Mountains Beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidder and Michael French
Investors will watch comments from Bank of Japan officials for clues to the timing of the next rate hike.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026
It’s not clear whether he is the author of inflammatory comments on the Web.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 9, 2026
In comments to the New York Times, Ballard denied personally using AI but said that an acquaintance she hired to edit the book, which was originally self-published, had used AI.
From Barron's ● Oct. 9, 2026
Coloured tiles are even less efficient, comments Ben Graves, co-founder of UK solar company Sunsave.
From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2026
Mom also asked me about school and my friends, and it was so nice to talk to her—just the two of us, without my little sister interrupting with her own questions and comments.
From "A Soft Place to Land" by Janae Marks
Screenshots of the new policy have been widely shared and commented on across social media - with some praising it as advancing good manners or "model welfare".
From BBC ● Oct. 9, 2026
None of the African countries named has commented on the report.
From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2026
Sánchez almost immediately commented on Maricarmen’s death on social media, sending condolences not only to her family but “a hug as well to everyone who feels this loss as their own today.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 2026
Anwar has not directly commented on whether any Rohingya will be among the returned.
From Barron's ● Oct. 7, 2026
Adams commented to Abigail, “we are still upon terms,” meaning that the friendship endured, but just barely.
From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis
The reason was that users were spending much more time reviewing, commenting on, and changing pull requests.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 2, 2026
That makes her unique among all those commenting on the Macklemore and Ed Sheeran situation.
From Salon ● Sep. 19, 2026
Rayner added she was not commenting specifically on Delo and Harborne as she did not "understand" their "circumstances".
From BBC ● Sep. 14, 2026
A Salvadoran woman who had lived in the U.S. since the 1980s held a summons for an immigration hearing while commenting that Navarette looked better than she had in a while.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 3, 2026
During lunch, commenting with General Moncada about that disconcerting proliferation, she expressed the desire for Colonel Aureliano Buendía to come back someday and gather all of his sons together in the house.
From "One Hundred Years of Solitude" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
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.
