# judgmental

/dʒədʒˈmɛnəɫ/ (US) · /dʒʌdʒmˈɛntəl/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/judgmental
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. too critical

adjective · CEFR B2

you use this to describe someone who is too quick to criticize others or judge them unfairly.

For teachers: inclined to form and express critical or negative opinions about others, often prematurely or harshly.

- I stopped telling him my secrets because he was always so judgmental.
- The manager's judgmental attitude created a tense atmosphere, as employees felt their every mistake was being scrutinized and condemned.

### 2. relating to judgment

adjective · CEFR C1 · Formal · Technical

relating to the process of making a decision or forming an opinion.

For teachers: pertaining to the exercise or capacity of judgment; often used in technical or formal contexts regarding decision-making.

- The committee had to make a judgmental call based on the limited evidence.
- The auditor noted that the final valuation relied heavily on judgmental factors rather than purely objective data points.

## Examples

- I try not to be judgmental when people make mistakes.
- She felt her neighbors were being judgmental about her parenting style without understanding her difficult situation.
- In a society increasingly mediated by social media, public discourse often becomes reflexively judgmental, leaving little room for the nuance or context required to understand complex human behavior.

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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.