commentary
Americannoun
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a series of comments, explanations, or annotations.
a commentary on the Bible; news followed by a commentary.
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an explanatory essay or treatise.
a commentary on a play; Blackstone's commentaries on law.
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anything serving to illustrate a point, prompt a realization, or exemplify, especially in the case of something unfortunate.
The dropout rate is a sad commentary on our school system.
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Usually commentaries. records of facts or events.
Commentaries written by Roman lawyers give us information on how their courts functioned.
noun
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an explanatory series of notes or comments
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a spoken accompaniment to a broadcast, film, etc, esp of a sporting event
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an explanatory essay or treatise on a text
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(usually plural) a personal record of events or facts
the commentaries of Caesar
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of commentary
1375–1425; late Middle English commentaries (plural) < Latin commentārium notebook, noun use of neuter of commentārius, equivalent to comment ( um ) comment + -ārius -ary
Explanation
When the language in a work of literature such as "Beowulf" is difficult to understand, it is helpful to read from an edition that includes a commentary — an explanation or expansion or criticism added to the original material. Editorials go hand-in-hand with commentaries, since both express a writer's opinions. Commentary can be oral as well as written. Each year, following the President's State of the Union address, you can tune into the networks for commentary from respected news anchors. In fact, political commentary has become so pervasive in our media that some feel it has replaced reporting.
Vocabulary lists containing commentary
Argumentative Writing, List 2
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Journalism
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Awkward
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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.
“It really doesn’t sit well with me,” Clint Dempsey, a former U.S. men’s national player, said in World Cup commentary for Fox Sports.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 6, 2026
Ball-by-ball commentary on BBC Sounds and the BBC Sport website and app, which will also have live text commentary and video highlights.
From BBC • Jul. 3, 2026
The post was also shared by a page with more than two million followers that frequently publishes pro-military and nationalist commentary.
From Barron's • Jul. 2, 2026
Not every company in those buckets is a buy — but these are the buckets where investors should look first for backlog, design wins, margin commentary and customer concentration.
From MarketWatch • Jul. 1, 2026
It might consist of a terse statement of law, or a question on the statement, an answer to the question, a brief or lengthy commentary on a Biblical verse, and so on.
From "The Chosen" by Chaim Potok
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.
