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What’s the difference between criticism and critique? There’s some overlap in meaning, but they’re not the same in every situation. Criticism is most often used broadly to refer to the act of negatively criticizing someone or something (“I’m more interested in encouragement right now than criticism”) or a remark or comment that expresses disapproval (“She shared a minor criticism about the design”), while critique is a more formal word for a carefully expressed judgment, opinion, or evaluation of both the good and bad qualities of something—for example, books or movies. Thus, a critic can write a critique that may be full of criticism.
Examples of critique in a Sentence
Newsweek Staff, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 June 2025
However, Austen’s broader critique of novelistic convention also applies to the much less potboilerish novels of such authors as Frances Burney and Samuel Richardson.
—Adelle Waldman, New Yorker, 31 May 2025
Nick Mordowanec, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 June 2025
Historically, the tax credits were critiqued for primarily helping wealthier car buyers.
—Camila Domonoske, NPR, 3 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for critique
Cite this Entry
“Critique.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/critique. Accessed 9 Jun. 2025.
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