critique

Pluralcritiques

Formscritiques, critiquing, critiqued

1. 1
   nouncountable

   An essay that analyzes and evaluates another piece of work.

   The journal published a lengthy critique of the economist's latest theory.

   Her critique of the exhibition examined each painting's use of color and composition.

   Similarreview, analysis, assessment, evaluation, appraisal

   Note

   The preposition after it has shifted over time. Joseph Addison, writing before 1720, expected to see 'a Critique on' a ring's posy, while Jesse Jackson in 2015 writes of Malcolm X's critiques of Martin Luther King. Of is the familiar choice now. The essay weighs a work and need not condemn it. Adjectives such as devastating signal when it lands hard.

2. 2
   verbtransitive

   To review and evaluate something, pointing out its merits and faults.

   Reviewers critique each new release with a mix of praise and complaint.

   The committee met to critique the proposal before approving it.

   Similarreview, evaluate, assess, appraise, analyze

   Note

   The verb takes its object directly: you critique a proposal, a parenting choice, or the media's fascination with something, with no on or of in between. It drops the final e before -ing (critiquing) and adds only -d for the past (critiqued). In recent journalism it often leans toward fault-finding rather than balanced review, as when commenters were quick to critique Kelly Clarkson's parenting.

3. 3
   nouncountable

   A specific comment or objection that finds fault with something.

   His central critique of the plan focused on its unrealistic budget.

   Several critiques were raised during the design review.

   Similarcriticism, objection, complaint

   Oppositepraise

   Note

   Here the word shrinks from a whole essay to a single remark, so it counts easily: three minor critiques, a central critique. It sits close to objection in this use. Unlike the essay sense, it names one point rather than the document that might contain several of them.

4. 4
   noununcountable

   The art or practice of analyzing and judging the quality of literary or artistic work.

   Critique demands both sensitivity to craft and the courage to judge honestly.

   Years of training in critique sharpened her eye for detail.

   Similarcriticism, analysis, evaluation, appraisal

   Note

   The word came over from French unadapted, which is why it keeps its -que spelling. French critique goes back to New Latin critica, the feminine of criticus, 'critical', the same source as critic. In this use the word takes no plural and often no article: training in critique, the demands of critique. When a single piece of writing is meant, it becomes countable, as in the essay sense.

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