ˈ ̷ ̷ ̷ ̷ˌsīz verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Usage: see -ize
Etymology: critic (I) + -ize
intransitive verb
1. : to act as a critic : consider and estimate worth or value
the man who did not criticize or reflect — G.L.Dickinson
2. : to find fault : stress faults, errors, or demerits
an unpleasant person, always criticizing
transitive verb
1. : to consider the merits and demerits of and judge accordingly : evaluate
Dr. Burney criticized the manuscript very favorably — Elizabeth Lee
2. : to stress the faults and demerits of : cavil at
we are trying to get away from the word “management” because it has been lambasted, ridiculed, criticized, and blasted — Personnel Journal
Synonyms:
reprehend , reprobate , blame , censure , condemn , denounce : criticize , among more erudite persons, is likely to indicate measured judgment or evaluation
he does not criticize, he denounces — Times Literary Supplement
Often it means focusing attention on weak points, demerits, failings, and delighting in pointing them out
newspaper policy is attacked, display advertising is criticized, features are ridiculed — Public Relations Journal
reprehend , now more commonly used with grammatical objects designating things, actions, or qualities than persons, may imply a severe rebuke decided on after deliberate judgment
being to advise or reprehend any one, consider whether it ought to be in public or in private … and in reproving show no signs of choler — George Washington
the thing to be reprehended is the confusing misuse of the word “verse” — C.H.Grandgent
reprobate may suggest strong disapproval and firm rejection or final refusal to tolerate or sanction
those peaceful and friendly conferences between capitalists and trade-union leaders which are so reprobated by Marxist critics — H.B.Parkes
he reprobated the “paltry jealousy” manifested toward Congress — H.R.Warfel
blame is now likely to indicate the placing of responsibility for something bad or unfortunate on a person or thing although it is still sometimes used as a general antonym of praise
the general was blamed for the defeat
Heine … cared … whether people praised his verses or blamed them — Matthew Arnold
censure indicates disapproval delivered sternly, often as a reprimand from someone in an authoritative or competent position
the Times published an article … in which … all contemporary literature was censured — E.M.Forster
condemn may suggest a severe, unmitigated, final, or definitive judgment which is wholly unfavorable
vice, on this view, is condemned because it is a frustration of nature — G.L.Dickinson
the entire week before election was a holiday and was condemned by ministers as a time “to meet, to smoke, to drink, carouse, and raise the devil” — American Guide Series: New Hampshire
denounce suggests stigmatizing publicly with force, vehemence, or conviction
members of the owning classes, who denounce alike the encroachment of the state and of organized labor upon the wealth which they have “made” — J.A.Hobson
in all ages, priests and monks have denounced the growing vices of society — Henry Adams