criticism
Americannoun
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the act of passing judgment as to the merits of anything.
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the act of passing severe judgment; censure; faultfinding.
- Synonyms:
- animadversion, stricture
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the act or art of analyzing and evaluating or judging the quality of a literary or artistic work, musical performance, art exhibit, dramatic production, etc.
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any of various methods of studying texts or documents for the purpose of dating or reconstructing them, evaluating their authenticity, analyzing their content or style, etc..
historical criticism; literary criticism.
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investigation of the text, origin, etc., of literary documents, especially Biblical ones.
textual criticism.
noun
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the act or an instance of making an unfavourable or severe judgment, comment, etc
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the analysis or evaluation of a work of art, literature, etc
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the occupation of a critic
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a work that sets out to evaluate or analyse
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Also called: textual criticism. the investigation of a particular text, with related material, in order to establish an authentic text
Related Words
See review.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of criticism
Explanation
If you dye your hair bright blue, you're likely to get some criticism from people who just don't understand your personal style. When you're on the receiving end of criticism, you are being judged in a disapproving way. The noun criticism is most often used to describe negative commentary about something or someone, but it's just as correct to use criticism to mean "an examination or judgment." Critics who review books and movies consider their reviews to be criticism, whether they're positive or negative. So the criticism you receive doesn't have to be all about your faults; it can actually be a pleasant experience.
Vocabulary lists containing criticism
Power Suffix: -ism
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Excerpt from "Letter from Birmingham Jail"
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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.
Shein’s fast-fashion business model involves mass production of clothing at the cheapest price, a trend that has drawn criticism from environmentalists and labor rights activists.
From Los Angeles Times • May 19, 2026
That decision has been met with criticism by infectious-disease experts.
From MarketWatch • May 18, 2026
Their playing style, their threat from and reliance on set-pieces, and the relative lack of bigger wins has brought criticism and anxious finishes in equal measure.
From BBC • May 18, 2026
It was after a church service that she received some of her most intense criticism.
From BBC • May 17, 2026
I had put on my best party manners and was above criticism.
From "The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate" by Jacqueline Kelly
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.
