criticism
noun
crit·i·cism
ˈkri-tə-ˌsi-zəm 
1
a
: the act of criticizing usually unfavorably
seeking encouragement rather than criticism
b
: a critical observation or remark
an unfair criticism
had a minor criticism of the design
c
: critique
2
: the art of evaluating or analyzing works of art or literature
also
: writings expressing such evaluation or analysis
an anthology of literary criticism
3
: the scientific investigation of literary documents (such as the Bible) in regard to such matters as origin, text, composition, or history
Examples of criticism in a Sentence
There was much public criticism directed at the senator.
In this job you need to be able to take criticism.
I asked my sister for some constructive criticism of my essay before I tried to revise it.
I had one minor criticism about her design.
Recent Examples on the Web
When the new Tesla Model 3 came out at the end of 2023 (which the company claims isn’t called Highland despite everyone else calling it that), its lack of an indicator stalk (like the Model S Plaid) garnered criticism.
—
James Morris, Forbes.com, 14 June 2025
The decision comes after months of criticism for punishing a woman fencer who refused to fence a trans opponent, which included scrutiny from federal lawmakers at a congressional hearing in early May.
—Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 13 June 2025
The bill has bipartisan support, as well as criticism from both parties, making its fate in the Senate uncertain.
—Kamaron McNair, CNBC, 13 June 2025
The administration continues to clash with the state and city's Democratic leadership, with both sides trading criticism.
—Mandy Taheri, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for criticism
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
James Morris, Forbes.com, 14 June 2025
The decision comes after months of criticism for punishing a woman fencer who refused to fence a trans opponent, which included scrutiny from federal lawmakers at a congressional hearing in early May.
—Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 13 June 2025
The bill has bipartisan support, as well as criticism from both parties, making its fate in the Senate uncertain.
—Kamaron McNair, CNBC, 13 June 2025
The administration continues to clash with the state and city's Democratic leadership, with both sides trading criticism.
—Mandy Taheri, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for criticism
Cite this Entry
“Criticism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/criticism. Accessed 19 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
criticism
noun
crit·i·cism
ˈkrit-ə-ˌsiz-əm
1
: the act of criticizing and especially of finding fault
2
: a critical remark or comment
3
: a careful judgment or review especially by a critic
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share