Criticism definitions and example sentences on Wordnik

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Definitions (17)

American Heritage Dictionary (5)

noun The act of criticizing, especially adversely.
noun A critical comment or judgment.
noun The practice of analyzing, classifying, interpreting, or evaluating literary or other artistic works.

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Century Dictionary (8)

The art of judging of and defining the qualities or merits of a thing, especially of a literary or artistic work: as, the rules of criticism. In the first place, I must take leave to tell them that they wholly mistake the nature of criticism who think its business is principally to find fault. Criticism, as it was first instituted by Aristotle, was meant a standard of judging well; the chiefest part of which is, to observe those excellencies which should delight a reasonable reader. Dryden, State of Innocence, Pref. Fixed principles in criticism are useful in helping us to form a judgment of works already produced, but it is questionable whether they are not rather a hindrance than a help to living production. Lowell, Among my Books, 1st ser., p. 341.
The act of criticizing; discrimination or discussion of merit, character, or quality; the exercise or application of critical judgment. Criticism without accurate science of the thing criticised can indeed have no other value than may belong to the genuine record of a spontaneous impression. Swinburne, Shakespeare, p. 8. He has to point out that Spinoza omits altogether criticism of the notion of mutual determination—that is to say, omits to examine the nature and validity of the notion for our thinking. Adamson, Fichte, p. 133. The habit of unrestrained discussion on one class of subjects begets a similar habit of discussion on others, and hence one indispensable condition of attaining any high excellence in art is satisfied, namely, free criticism. Fowler, Shaftesbury and Hutcheson, p. 133.
In a restricted sense, inquiry into the origin, history, authenticity, character, etc., of literary documents. Higher criticism concerns writings as a whole; lower criticism concerns the integrity or character of particular parts or passages. One branch of this comprehensive inquiry [the relation of science to the Bible] is Criticism—the investigation of the origin, authorship, and meaning of the several books of the Bible, and of the credibility of the history which it contains. G. P. Fisher, Begin. of Christianity, p. 392.

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Lost in all of the criticism was the fact that he also said that America was neither a Jewish nation, or a Muslim nation. — Everyday Citizen
And CAPCOM's reaction to your criticism has been mystifying. — GameSpot's News, Screenshots, Movies, Reviews, Previews, Downloads, and Features
I am not sure the criticism is as problematic as Tyler and others have tried to make it out to be. — The Austrian Economists
One cause of this criticism was his connection with the Gesell Committee. — Integration of the Armed Forces, 1940-1965
This criticism was applicable to his speeches in England and in America In every attempt to fix Kossuth's place in the list of historical orators,--and in that list he must have a conspicuous place,--certain considerations cannot be disregarded, viz First, he spoke to England and American in a language that he acquired when he had already passed the middle period of life. — Reminiscences of Sixty Years in Public Affairs, Vol. 1

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discussion · critic · philosophy · opinion · argument · interpretation · inquiry · knowledge · remark · sentiment · speech · suggestion

Roget's II: The New Thesaurus, Third Edition by the Editors of the American Heritage® Dictionary. Copyright © 2003, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

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= French criticisme = Spanish Italian criticismo; as critic + -ism. Cf. criticize.

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