# criticize

/ˈkɹɪtɪˌsaɪz/ (US)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/criticize
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. to find fault

verb · CEFR B2

to say that something or someone is bad or wrong.

For teachers: to express disapproval of someone or something based on perceived faults or mistakes.

- The manager criticized the team for arriving late to the meeting.
- The opposition party criticized the government's new economic policy, arguing that it would disproportionately affect low-income families.

Usage: Often used with the preposition 'for' to indicate the reason for the disapproval.

### 2. to evaluate work

verb · CEFR C1 · Academic

to look at a book, movie, or piece of art and judge its good and bad points.

For teachers: to examine and judge a literary or artistic work in a detailed and analytical way.

- In our English class, we had to criticize a famous poem.
- The students were asked to criticize the methodology used in the study, identifying both its strengths and its logical inconsistencies.

Teaching tip: In modern English, 'criticize' usually sounds negative. For a neutral academic evaluation, 'critique' is often preferred.

## Examples

- The teacher did not criticize my work today.
- The film director was upset when the local newspapers began to criticize his latest movie for being too long.
- While it is easy to criticize the government's response to the crisis, providing a viable alternative strategy requires a much deeper understanding of the available resources.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.