english
1
general::
criticize
adverbs
strongly/severely/heavily criticize somebody/something
• Public transport has been severely criticized in the report.
sharply/harshly/fiercely criticize somebody/something
(= in an angry way )
• His attorney sharply criticized the police yesterday.
be widely criticized
• The proposal was widely criticized.
publicly criticize somebody/something
• The head coach publicly criticized the referee’s decision.
roundly criticize somebody/something
(= strongly and severely )
• Their research has been roundly criticized.
openly criticize somebody/something
(= in a public and direct way )
• They openly criticized the government’s handling of the crisis.
repeatedly/frequently/constantly criticize
• The fashion industry is frequently criticized for presenting extremely thin models as beautiful.
phrases
be quick to criticize somebody/something
• Some groups were quick to criticize the President.
criticize somebody/something on the grounds that
(= for the reason that )
• The survey was criticized on the grounds that the sample was too small.
transnet.ir
2
general::
verb ADV. bitterly, fiercely, heavily, roundly, severely, sharply, strongly | openly, publicly She has openly criticized the government. | implicitly | justifiably, rightly Their record on human rights has been justifiably criticized. | constantly, frequently, repeatedly | reportedly PREP. for She criticized the system for being secretive. PHRASES be widely criticized (as sth) The law was widely criticized as racist. | criticize sb/sth on the grounds that The film was criticized on the grounds that it glorifies violence.
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
3
general::
verb
scold:
You should not criticize your wife.
Simple Definitions
4
general::
criticize
to say what you think is bad about someone or something:
• He was criticized for not being tough enough with the terrorists. • Stop criticizing my friends! • It’s easy to criticize, but not so easy to offer helpful solutions.
be critical of somebody/something
to criticize someone or something, especially by giving detailed reasons for this:
• The report was highly critical of the police investigation. • The press have been critical of his leadership style.
attack
to criticize someone or something very strongly, especially publicly in the newspapers, on TV etc:
• They attacked the government’s decision to undertake nuclear weapons tests.
lay into somebody/tear into somebody
to criticize someone very strongly for something they have done, especially by shouting at them:
• He started laying into one of his staff for being late.
tear somebody/something to shreds
to find a lot of things wrong with someone’s arguments or ideas and make them seem very weak:
• The prosecution will tear him to shreds.
pan
to strongly criticize a film, play etc in the newspapers, on TV etc:
• Her first movie was panned by the critics.
be pilloried
especially written to be strongly criticized by a lot of people in the newspapers, on TV etc:
• He was pilloried in the right-wing press.
condemn
to say very strongly in public that you do not approve of something or someone, especially because you think they are morally wrong:
• Politicians were quick to condemn the bombing.
to criticize unfairly
find fault with somebody/something
to criticize things that you think are wrong with something, especially small and unimportant things:
• He’s quick to find fault with other people’s work.
pick holes in something
informal to criticize something by finding many small faults in it, in a way that seems unreasonable and unfair:
• Why are you always picking holes in my work?
knock
to criticize someone or something, in an unfair and unreasonable way:
• I know it’s fashionable to knock Tony Blair, but I think he did a good job.
slag off
British English informal to criticize someone in an unfair and unpleasant way:
• He’s always slagging you off behind your back.
Longman-Thesaurus