Highly critical

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "Highly critical" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe something that is very important or essential, often in a negative context, such as when evaluating a situation, performance, or decision. Example: "The report was highly critical of the company's management practices, highlighting several areas that needed immediate improvement."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Most media were highly critical.

The Economist

Clegg was highly critical of Tony Blair.

The Guardian

He's also highly critical of the aftermath.

The Guardian - Film

She is highly critical of the media.

The Guardian

But Clegg was highly critical of Mitchell.

The Guardian

Their manager, Mick McCarthy, was highly critical of the referee.

The Guardian - Sport

The report was, however, highly critical of the MP's actions.

The Guardian - Money

But Lord Porter was highly critical of the changes.

The Guardian

He was highly critical of the decision to remove Gibson.

The Guardian

Senior Tories were highly critical of the CPS's actions.

The Guardian

Previously, Mr. Landau has been highly critical of Sanofi's prospects.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "highly critical", ensure the context clearly indicates what is being criticized to avoid ambiguity. For example, "The report was highly critical of the government's environmental policies."

Common error

Avoid using "highly critical" to preface subjective opinions without providing concrete evidence or justification. Instead of saying "I am highly critical of modern art", provide specific reasons and analysis to support your viewpoint.

Linguistic Context

Highly critical functions as an adjective phrase, modifying a noun to indicate a strong level of disapproval or fault-finding. As confirmed by Ludwig, the phrase is grammatically correct and widely used. Examples in Ludwig illustrate its use in contexts ranging from media criticism to personal assessments.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

55%

Formal & Business

25%

Science

10%

Less common in

Wiki

5%

Encyclopedias

3%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "highly critical" is a grammatically sound and frequently used adjective phrase expressing strong disapproval or negative evaluation. As Ludwig AI confirms, it appears most commonly in news and media, formal business contexts, and scientific writings. When employing this phrase, clarity is key to ensure the object of criticism is clearly identified. Alternatives such as "extremely critical" or "sharply critical" may offer nuanced variations of meaning. Avoid using "highly critical" to support subjective opinions without providing concrete evidence to maintain credibility.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

extremely critical

Replaces "highly" with "extremely", indicating a similar degree of severity in criticism.

very critical

Substitutes "highly" with "very", representing a slightly reduced level of intensity.

severely critical

Emphasizes the intensity of the criticism with the adverb "severely".

sharply critical

Highlights the incisive and direct nature of the criticism.

deeply critical

Suggests a profound level of disagreement or disapproval.

strongly disapproving

Expresses the criticism as a clear and forceful disapproval.

extremely judgmental

Focuses on the judgmental aspect of being critical.

very disapproving

Indicates a lesser degree of negativity than "highly critical".

utterly condemnatory

Conveys a sense of complete and absolute condemnation.

quite censorious

Uses a more formal and less common word to express disapproval.

FAQs

How can I use "highly critical" in a sentence?

You can use "highly critical" to describe something or someone that expresses strong disapproval or finds serious faults. For example: "The review was "highly critical" of the movie's plot."

What are some alternatives to using "highly critical"?

Alternatives include "extremely critical", "very critical", or "sharply critical". The best choice depends on the specific nuance you wish to convey.

Is it better to say "highly critical" or "very critical"?

"Highly critical" and "very critical" are similar, but "highly critical" implies a slightly stronger and more pronounced level of criticism than "very critical".

What's the difference between "highly critical" and "constructive criticism"?

"Highly critical" often suggests a negative assessment focused on faults, while "constructive criticism" aims to provide feedback for improvement, even if it involves pointing out flaws. The goal of constructive criticism is to help improve something rather than simply expressing disapproval.