commentary
Americannoun
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commentaries
plural
-
a series of comments, explanations, or annotations.
a commentary on the Bible; news followed by a commentary.
-
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.
See Examples For:
In the book, most homes have parlor walls with huge video screens that broadcast streams of babbling commentary for both entertainment and manipulation.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 2026
“Investors are still carrying downside hedges while simultaneously trying to repair underexposure to the rally,” he said in emailed commentary on Thursday.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 13, 2026
She urged people to "consider the impact that inaccurate or speculative comments" including "online commentary" could have.
From BBC ● Aug. 13, 2026
Consider it an overcorrection of hypercritical commentary that has historically targeted female stars throughout Hollywood history.
From Salon ● Aug. 13, 2026
It was like watching a movie with a voice-over narration, but with one great difference: He was manipulating the pieces and speaking so rapidly that it was difficult to connect the moves with his commentary.
From "Endgame" by Frank Brady
This has echoed across social media and commentaries over the past week, drawing even politicians into the conversation.
From BBC ● Jun. 25, 2026
From reading the most recent market commentaries, one might conclude that investors are unnerved by the potential of AI to upend industries across the spectrum.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 6, 2026
And some advisers produce their own data-driven market commentaries that look ahead at trends, which can affect client portfolios.
From MarketWatch ● Jan. 26, 2026
The sequel arrives with four full commentaries, one for each film.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 21, 2026
When I came to the end of the Mishnaic thought unit, I stopped, and reviewed it briefly, together with the commentaries of Rashi and the Tosafists.
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.
