LookItUp

criticize

Meaning in simple English, pronunciation and examples

Pronunciation: US /ˈkrɪtɪˌsaɪz/ · UK /ˈkrɪtɪsaɪz/

Forms: criticizes, criticizing, criticized

criticize means: To say what you think is wrong or bad about someone or something.

verb

POINT OUT FAULTSB1

To say what you think is wrong or bad about someone or something.

  • Please do not criticize my cooking.
  • They criticized him for arriving late.
  • The report criticizes the company’s poor safety record.

How to use it: criticize someone/something for something (She criticized the council for its slow response.); criticize someone for doing something (He criticized me for leaving early.)

Similar words: find fault with, attack

Opposites: praise

Common phrases: criticize someone for, criticize the government, criticize a decision

JUDGE QUALITYC1

To examine something and judge both its good and bad points.

  • Students learned to criticize poems carefully.
  • Her essay criticizes the novel’s strengths and weaknesses.
  • He criticized the painting with close attention to its use of color.

Similar words: evaluate, assess, appraise

Common phrases: criticize a poem, criticize a work, criticize a novel

Questions about criticize

What does criticize mean?

To say what you think is wrong or bad about someone or something.

What is criticize in other languages?

Türkçe: eleştirmek · Español: criticar · Français: critiquer · Deutsch: kritisieren · Italiano: criticare · 日本語: 批判する

How do you pronounce criticize?

In American English /ˈkrɪtɪˌsaɪz/; in British English /ˈkrɪtɪsaɪz/.

How do you use criticize in a sentence?

Please do not criticize my cooking. They criticized him for arriving late.

Learn criticize while you read

LookItUp shows the meaning that fits your sentence, in your language, and turns new words into quick practice cards.

Coming soon on the App Store LookItUp app for iPhone and iPad

criticize in other languages

More words