Meaning & use
critique
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Meanings
nouncountable
A careful written or spoken assessment of a work, idea or plan that examines both its good and weak points.
Grammar: Often followed by of: a critique of the film.
Patterns
- a critique of something
- write a critique
- offer a critique
Her critique of the novel praised the plot but questioned the ending.
The professor wrote a detailed critique of each student's essay.
He offered a sharp critique of the government's housing plan.
verbtransitive
To examine and judge a piece of work, an idea or a plan, pointing out what works and what does not.
Grammar: Takes an object: critique a draft, critique a performance.
Patterns
- critique something
- critique someone's work
Our teacher asked us to critique each other's drawings.
The panel will critique the design before it goes ahead.
She critiqued the speech for being too long.
Word forms
| plural | critiques |
|---|---|
| third person singular | critiques |
| past tense | critiqued |
| past participle | critiqued |
| -ing form | critiquing |
Common combinations
- offer a critique
- The editor offered a critique of the first draft.
- a harsh critique
- The article was a harsh critique of the policy.
- critique of society
- The film is a critique of modern society.
- critique a draft
- Please critique my draft before Friday.
- written critique
- A written critique was handed back with the grade.
Synonyms and how they differ
- review
- Review is usually a published opinion for the public, while critique is more detailed and analytical.
- evaluation
- Evaluation is a judgment of quality or worth, often with a score, while a critique explains reasoning.
- criticism
- Criticism often stresses faults and can be casual, whereas a critique is more balanced and formal.
- analysis
- Analysis breaks something down without necessarily judging it, while a critique always judges.
Opposites
Word family
- critic noun
- a person who judges art, work or ideas
- critical adjective
- expressing disapproval, or very important
- criticism noun
- remarks that point out faults
- criticize verb
- to point out faults in something
- critically adverb
- in a careful or serious way
Commonly confused: critique or criticism? critique or critic?
critique vs criticism
Criticism points out faults, often angrily, whereas a critique weighs strengths and weaknesses.
critique vs critic
A critic is a person, and a critique is what that person writes or says.
Practice
The art teacher asked each student to ____ a classmate's painting and explain what worked well.
Choose one answer.
Critique means to examine something and judge both strengths and weaknesses. Criticize mostly points out faults, so it is a weaker fit with explaining what worked well.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “critique”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.