Word family noun critic criticism adjective critical ≠ uncritical verb criticize adverb critically ≠ uncritically
From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishcriticcrit‧ic /ˈkrɪtɪk/ ●●○ W3 noun [countable] 1 JUDGEsomeone whose job is to make judgments about the good and bad qualities of art, music, films etc SYN reviewermusic/art/film/theatre/literary critic a review by the theatre critic of the ‘Sunday Times’2 CRITICIZEsomeone who criticizes a person, organization, or ideacritic of Critics of the scheme have said that it will not solve the problem of teenage crime.fierce/outspoken critic an outspoken critic of the government3 → armchair criticCOLLOCATIONStypes of critica film/art/music etc criticHe became the chief music critic for the Herald Tribune.a literary critic (=of books and other literature)a theatre critic British English, a theater critic American English (=of plays)a restaurant critic (=of the food, service etc in restaurants)Being a restaurant critic sounds like a glamorous lifestyle.a social critic (=of human society and its organizations)Social critics have argued that television viewing decreases people's other social activities.verbsa critic attacks somethingMany critics attacked Seurat’s paintings for their lack of colour.a critic praises somethingThe play was highly praised by critics and the public.a critic hails something/somebody as something (=describes someone or something as very good)Critics hailed the film as a brilliant portrayal of American society at that time.a critic pans something (also a critic slates something British English) (=criticizes something strongly)The television series has been panned by critics. Examples from the Corpus
critic• Daley accused critics of the city's Police Department of lying.• The Thatcher record since 1979 has been accompanied by a good deal of inflationary rhetoric from both supporters and critics.• He was viewed by critics as being secretive, arrogant and aloof, but supporters described him as progressive and effective.• Given the numbers of the disadvantaged, critics of Treasury ridicule the whole proposal.• Film critic Roger Ebert has a new partner for his movie-review television program.• She started as a food critic for a local paper.• The Prime Minister answered his critics in a televised speech.• Protestant critics, looking for a religion denuded of magic, would enlist the Bible on their side.• Serious journalists and social critics have an answer, at least so far as news is concerned.• I didn't think the book was as bad as the critics said it was.• There were the critics on the newspapers who had praised the vividness and accuracy of the books.• For five years she was theater critic for the New Yorker.music/art/film/theatre/literary critic• After the University of Montpellier he worked first as a film critic, then as a reporter in Paris.• Marriage to a middle-aged art critic who has turned dealer.• An art critic also needs a gift for persuasion, perhaps rather more than a head for exposition and argument.• The film has gotten good reviews, but it has scared the wits out of some male film critics.• Later he became the New Yorker's music critic and went on to be music editor of the Listener.• But the Literary Critic may have its finest effects outside the educational and professional establishments.• The art critic is thus bound to consider with care what standards of comparison should be used.critic of• Senator Wilson is an outspoken critic of the plan to close the old airport.Origin critic (1500-1600) Latin criticus, from Greek kritikos, from krinein; → CRITERION 