new criticism

American

noun

(often initial capital letters) an approach to the critical study of literature that concentrates on textual explication and rejects historical and biographical study as irrelevant to an understanding of the total formal organization of a work.

new criticism British

noun

an approach to literary criticism through close analysis of the text

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of new criticism

First recorded in 1940–45

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:

new criticism

Michael Burry, the hedge-fund manager of “The Big Short” fame who is betting against two of the stock market’s favorite AI plays, is back with a new criticism of valuations in the sector.

From MarketWatch ● Nov. 11, 2025

And that silence has been received as aloof or elitist, drawing new criticism, fomenting new anger.

From Slate ● Feb. 7, 2025

But other aspects of his past, including his past relationships with women, became fodder for new criticism.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 23, 2024

Each day, he posts new criticism of government figures on Facebook.

From BBC ● Feb. 13, 2024

The general view of the Bible herein set forth rests upon the conclusions of no new criticism.

From The Right and Wrong Uses of the Bible by R. Heber Newton

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

Get a word

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023