criticism

criticism — noun

1. The act of telling someone or the public that a person, idea, or thing has fault

1.名詞B1
釋義

The act of telling someone or the public that a person, idea, or thing has faults or has done something wrong; a specific remark that points out problems or mistakes.

例句

The mayor faced strong criticism from residents after the park was closed for construction.

collocation: face + criticism

Yusuf listened carefully to his coach's criticism and changed his training method the next week.

possessive: coach's criticism

同義詞
  • disapproval

    more general — disapproval can be silent or unexpressed; criticism is usually voiced or written

  • objection

    stronger and more specific — an objection is a reason for disagreeing, often in a formal setting

  • complaint

    focuses on personal dissatisfaction rather than pointing out faults objectively

反義詞
  • praise

    expression of approval or admiration, opposite in intent

  • approval

    the act of agreeing with or accepting something as good

文法句型

criticism + of + noun phrase

a + criticism + that-clause

make + criticism

face/come under + criticism

用法筆記

Constructive criticism is a common phrase meaning helpful feedback intended to help someone improve, not simply to express disapproval.

常見錯誤

❌I gave him a criticism about his report.
✅I gave him some criticism about his report.
💡When criticism refers to the general act of disapproving, it is usually uncountable. Use 'a criticism' only when talking about one specific remark.

2. The activity of carefully studying and giving your opinion about the qualities o

2.名詞B2
釋義

The activity of carefully studying and giving your opinion about the qualities of creative works such as books, films, music, or paintings; a written or spoken evaluation of an artistic piece.

例句

Dr. Okonkwo's literary criticism of the novel was published in a respected academic journal.

possessive: literary criticism

Film criticism in the weekend newspaper helps Noa choose which movies to watch.

compound noun: film criticism

同義詞
  • critique

    more formal and always implies detailed analysis; 'critique' does not carry the negative tone of 'criticism'

  • review

    more common in everyday language for film, book, or restaurant opinions; less academic in tone

  • evaluation

    broader — applies to any systematic judgment, not limited to creative works

文法句型

literary/film/art + criticism

criticism + of + work of art

用法筆記

In this sense, criticism does NOT carry a negative meaning — it refers to thoughtful evaluation that may be positive, negative, or mixed. This differs from sense 1 (DISAPPROVAL), which always implies finding fault.

常見錯誤

❌I read a criticism of the film that praised it highly.' (suggests disapproval)
✅I read a review or critique of the film that praised it highly.
💡When the evaluation is positive, 'review' or 'critique' is clearer than 'criticism,' which many readers interpret as negative.