criticize

The word “criticize” means to point out faults or problems in something or someone. In plain terms, to say what's wrong with something.

“Criticize” is pronounced KRIH-tih-syz (/ˈkɹɪtɪsaɪz/ in IPA).

Here is “criticize” used in a sentence: “The coach criticized the team's poor defense.”

Words with a similar meaning to “criticize” include admonish, animadvert, bash, bawl out, slash and lash.

The opposite of “criticize” — its antonyms — are commend, compliment, congratulate, laud and praise.

“Criticize” is a verb.

“Criticize” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.

Critique is often used as a more neutral or professional term for giving detailed feedback, including both strengths and weaknesses, while criticize more commonly implies pointing out faults and can carry a negative or disapproving tone. In everyday use, criticize leans toward fault-finding, whereas critique suggests balanced evaluation.

Criticize is generally used to mean pointing out faults or problems, so it usually carries a negative connotation, unlike neutral terms such as evaluate or assess. Constructive criticism softens this somewhat by pairing the word with the goal of helping improve something.

The British spelling is criticise, using an s instead of a z, while criticize is the standard American spelling. Both spellings are pronounced the same and mean exactly the same thing.