ENGLISH
REFERENCE

critique

n. countable
C1 Advanced Oxford US //kɹəˈtik// UK //kɹɪtˈiːk// cri·tique Archaic

n. a careful and detailed report that judges the quality of something, like a book or an idea. It looks at both the good and bad parts to help people understand it better.

n. a detailed analysis and assessment of something, especially a literary, philosophical, or political theory. Often implies a systematic evaluation of both merits and faults.


SIMPLE

The professor gave a helpful critique of my essay.

CONTEXTUAL

The architect published a sharp critique of the new city hall, arguing that it ignored the needs of local residents.

COMPLEX

Her latest book offers a devastating critique of modern consumerism, dismantling the assumption that material wealth leads to genuine psychological well-being.

Synonyms
Origin

Unadapted borrowing from French critique, from New Latin critica (“critique”), feminine of criticus (“critical”); see critic.

Usage

Commonly takes the preposition 'of' to indicate the subject being analyzed.

Pitfall

He critiqued about my workHe critiqued my workLearners often confuse the noun 'critique' with the verb form; as a verb, it is transitive and does not take 'about'.

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