criticize
Americanverb (used with object)
verb (used without object)
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to find fault; judge unfavorably or harshly.
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to make judgments as to merits and faults.
verb
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to judge (something) with disapproval; censure
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to evaluate or analyse (something)
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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criticizernoun
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overcriticizeverb
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precriticizeverb (used with object)
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recriticizeverb (used with object)
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criticizableadjective
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noncriticizingadjective
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uncriticizableadjective
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uncriticizedadjective
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uncriticizingadjective
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well-criticizedadjective
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criticizinglyadverb
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uncriticizablyadverb
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uncriticizinglyadverb
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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criticizesimple
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criticizessimple
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have criticizedperfect
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has criticizedperfect
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am criticizingprogressive
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are criticizingprogressive
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is criticizingprogressive
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have been criticizingperfect progressive
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has been criticizingperfect progressive
Past
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criticizedsimple
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had criticizedperfect
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was criticizingprogressive
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were criticizingprogressive
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had been criticizingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of criticize
Explanation
To criticize is to find what's wrong with something, like the improbabilities in a movie's plot line, or double standards in your father's rules. The verb criticize comes from the noun, critic, and means "to act like a critic." A critic is someone who judges, and that doesn't have to mean negative judgment (think of a glowing movie review from a movie critic), but when we use criticize we always mean finding what's wrong, instead of what's good, with something. If your friend is just learning to bake, don't criticize his first batch of burned cookies too harshly; he'll just give up.
Vocabulary lists containing criticize
The SAT: Language of the Test, List 3
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The Language of Standardized Tests, List 2
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The New SAT: The Language of the Test
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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:
But tech titan Elon Musk has taken to X on multiple occasions to criticize the film, which in his opinion "desecrated" the story.
From Barron's ● Jul. 28, 2026
Geiger, however, remains a huge proponent of the system and was careful not to criticize how it’s been used in this World Cup.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 12, 2026
China sought to play down the event as unexceptional, even as some countries in the region were quick to criticize it.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 6, 2026
Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson used her concurrence to criticize Bruen and suggest that the court should eventually return to a more traditional means-end approach.
From Slate ● Jun. 26, 2026
His ability to absorb, criticize, and reject the received knowledge of his time—even that of his most renowned teachers—yet to rise unimpeded in his field of endeavor, reflect something of Magas’s patience and ambition.
From "Circumference" by Nicholas Nicastro
“To a four-year-old, everything Mommy does is wonderful and anyone who criticizes Mommy is bad. Grown-up love means actually understanding what you love, taking the good with the bad and helping your loved one grow.”
From Salon ● Jul. 21, 2026
Knowing that his communication is heavily monitored, he said he no longer criticizes the government through telecommunications.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 21, 2026
Ramos, 55, who denies all the allegations, said that it is an escalation of a years-long attempt to silence his work that often criticizes Mexican forces who work closely with US allies on the border.
From Barron's ● May 14, 2026
Yet he still believes that he’s a man of the people who should be heeded on every aspect of life, especially on how to disregard all criticism because anyone who criticizes you must be wrong.
From Slate ● Apr. 17, 2026
Then my daughter criticizes me as if I were not there.
From "The Joy Luck Club" by Amy Tan
Meta has been consistently criticized for its spending levels over the past few quarters as the company has overhauled its AI strategy with the creation of Meta Superintelligence Labs.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 28, 2026
After the June primary election, California elections officials were criticized for taking about a week to determine which gubernatorial and Los Angeles mayoral candidates would advance to November’s runoff.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 27, 2026
The Dodgers were widely criticized by fans for failing to speak out at the time.
From Barron's ● Jul. 23, 2026
Both companies have defended their actions, criticized the insurers, and said courts lack jurisdiction over the arbitration awards.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026
Then a British man appeared on the screen and criticized Benji and Felix.
From "Millionaires for the Month" by Stacey McAnulty
Microsoft, which helped usher in the AI boom, is now part of a growing cohort of voices criticizing the concentration of power among a handful of AI companies like OpenAI and Anthropic.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 21, 2026
He was really angry then that people were criticizing and judging a show that hadn’t even aired yet.
From Salon ● Jul. 5, 2026
Acknowledging and even criticizing our mistakes of the past doesn’t cheapen one’s love for the United States.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 4, 2026
To the naysayers criticizing SpaceX’s rich valuation, smellyfingernail had the following response: “I’m willing to bet there’s more people like me that don’t care about that.”
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 23, 2026
He swept around in his long black cloak, watching them weigh dried nettles and crush snake fangs, criticizing almost everyone except Malfoy, whom he seemed to like.
From "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" by J.K. Rowling
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.
