criticize

/ˈkrɪtɪsaɪz/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈkrɪtɪsaɪz/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈkri-tə-ˌsīz/ (ame, mw)

criticize — verb

  • criticizepresent simple I / you / we / they
  • criticizeshe / she / it
  • criticizedpast simple
  • criticizing-ing form

1. to point out what you believe are the faults or mistakes of a person, an idea, o

1.動詞及物B1
釋義

to point out what you believe are the faults or mistakes of a person, an idea, or an action

例句

Anjali criticized the design of the new city library for having too few windows.

criticize + someone/something + for + noun phrase (reason)

Fans criticized the referee for not awarding a penalty kick during the match.

同義詞
  • blame

    Stronger; assigns responsibility for something perceived as wrong, not just an opinion.

  • condemn

    Much stronger and more formal; expresses total disapproval, often on moral grounds.

  • find fault with

    More informal; emphasizes looking for minor things that are wrong.

反義詞
  • praise

    To express warm approval or admiration.

  • compliment

    To express admiration or praise in a polite, personal way.

文法句型

criticize + someone/something

criticize + someone + for + doing something

用法筆記

Frequently followed by for + noun or gerund to state the reason for the criticism. The passive form is also common: 'The government was severely criticized for the policy.'

常見錯誤

❌He criticized to her about the mess.
✅He criticized her for the mess.
💡criticize takes a direct object, not a prepositional phrase like 'to someone about something.'
❌She criticized on the movie.
✅She criticized the movie.
💡Do not add a preposition such as on or about directly after criticize.

2. to examine a book, film, play, or similar creative work and discuss both what wo

2.動詞及物B2
釋義

to examine a book, film, play, or similar creative work and discuss both what works well and what does not

例句

A well-known poet was asked to criticize the new novel for a literary magazine.

criticize + creative work + for [publication] (formal register)

Christopher criticized the film for the student paper, praising the acting despite the weak script.

同義詞
  • review

    Standard neutral term for writing or speaking about a creative work.

  • evaluate

    Broader and more formal; applies to any systematic assessment.

  • appraise

    Professional term for judging quality against standards.

文法句型

criticize + a creative work (book/film/play/poem)

用法筆記

Unlike sense 1 (FIND FAULT), this sense carries a neutral-to-positive tone — the goal is balanced evaluation, not disapproval. The object is always a creative or intellectual work (book, film, play, poem, exhibition), never a person.

常見錯誤

❌The critic criticized the actor for being tall.' (sense 2 about work, not person).
✅The critic criticized the film for its weak second act.
💡Use sense 1 for personal disapproval; use sense 2 only for works.