Artistic Critique Terminology

noun a sharpness or harshness of manner or temper

• The professor's acerbity towards students who did not meet his high expectations was evident in his harsh criticism.
• Her acerbity towards her coworkers made the office atmosphere tense.
• I can't stand the acerbity of that guy, he's always so bitter and negative.
• The acerbity of his words cut through the tension in the room like a sharp knife.

noun the quality of being unoriginal or lacking in originality

adjective banal

• The banality of the speech made it difficult for the audience to stay engaged.
• I can't stand the banality of reality TV shows.
• I'm so over the banality of social media drama.
• She tried to inject some excitement into the banality of daily life.

adjective immature or inexperienced

• The callow youth showed great potential in his first year of university.
• She's a bit callow, but she'll learn with more experience.
• That callow dude needs to grow up and stop acting like a child.
• The callow flower bloomed into a beautiful rose after facing many challenges.

noun a phrase or opinion that is overused and betrays a lack of original thought

adjective characterized by being overused and lacking originality

• The use of cliché phrases can detract from the originality of a piece of writing.
• I'm so tired of hearing the same cliché lines in every romantic comedy.
• That movie was so cliché, I could predict the ending within the first ten minutes.
• Her behavior was like a cliché, repeating the same mistakes over and over again.

adjective excessively sweet or sentimental in a way that is unpleasant

adverb in a way that is excessively sweet or sentimental

• The cloying sweetness of the dessert was overwhelming.
• I couldn't finish the drink because it was too cloying.
• That perfume is so cloying, it gives me a headache.
• The politician's cloying promises failed to convince the voters.

verb present participle of the verb displease

adjective causing annoyance or dissatisfaction

• The artwork received mixed reviews, with some finding it displeasing.
• I find the new dress style displeasing, it just doesn't suit me.
• The movie was so displeasing, I wanted to walk out of the theater.
• Her constant negativity is displeasing to those around her.

noun a feeling of dislike or aversion

verb not applicable

adjective not applicable

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pronoun not applicable

preposition not applicable

conjunction not applicable

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• She expressed her distaste for the new company policy during the meeting.
• I can't stand the taste of mushrooms, it's like pure distaste for me.
• I have such a distaste for early mornings, I just can't deal with them.
• His distaste for authority figures was evident in his rebellious attitude.

adjective describing someone or something as clumsy, awkward, or dull in movement or behavior

• The lumpish boy struggled to keep up with the rest of the class during the physical education lesson.
• I felt a bit lumpish after eating that huge meal.
• Don't be so lumpish, get up and join the game!
• Her lumpish attitude towards change hindered her progress in the project.

verb past participle of overdo

adjective excessively or excessively done, cooked, or prepared

• The dish was unfortunately overdone and lacked the delicate flavors we were expecting.
• The steak was way overdone and practically inedible.
• Her makeup was so overdone, she looked like a clown.
• The drama in that movie was so overdone, it felt like a parody of itself.

verb to elaborate or explain something in excessive detail or to an unnecessary extent

• The author tends to overelaborate on minor details in his writing.
• Don't overelaborate on your excuse, just keep it simple.
• Why do you always have to overelaborate everything?
• His speech was like a tangled web, overelaborate and confusing.

adjective causing intense disgust; disgusting or offensive

• The sight of the decaying food was utterly repulsive.
• I find his behavior towards her repulsive.
• That movie was so repulsive, I couldn't even finish watching it.
• The idea of giving up on your dreams is repulsive to me.

adjective having an attractive or well-proportioned shape or form

• The shapely figure of the statue was admired by all who passed by.
• She's got a really shapely body, doesn't she?
• Check out that shapely booty!
• His argument was shapely and well-structured.

adjective A word that describes or modifies a noun or pronoun. In this case, 'simplistic' describes something as overly simple or naive.

• The design of the new building is very simplistic, with clean lines and minimal decoration.
• I like the simplistic style of this new phone, it's so easy to use.
• I prefer a more simplistic approach to cooking, just throw everything in a pot and see what happens.
• His argument was too simplistic, failing to consider the complexities of the situation.

adjective lacking or devoid of soul; lacking in sensitivity, depth, or compassion

• The architecture of the new building was criticized for being soulless and lacking character.
• I find those modern art pieces to be so soulless, they just don't speak to me.
• The movie was so bad, it felt like a soulless cash grab by the studio.
• Her eyes were cold and soulless, betraying the emptiness she felt inside.

adjective a word that describes or modifies a noun, in this case 'unbeautiful' describes something that is not beautiful

• The artist's intention was to capture the raw and often overlooked beauty in the unbeautiful.
• Even though some may find it unbeautiful, I think it has its own unique charm.
• I know it's not conventionally pretty, but I kinda dig the unbeautiful vibe.
• Her words painted an unbeautiful picture of the harsh reality of the situation.

adjective Not having been licked or smoothed; rough or unpolished.

• The unlicked envelope was still sealed shut.
• I found an unlicked lollipop on the ground.
• He's so unlicked, he doesn't even know how to tie his shoes.
• Her unlicked wounds from the past still haunted her.

adjective a word that describes or gives more information about a noun or pronoun, in this case, 'untalented' describes someone lacking talent or skill

• Despite her efforts, the judges deemed her untalented in the singing competition.
• I heard she's pretty untalented when it comes to playing the guitar.
• Dude, that guy is seriously untalented at basketball.
• His untalented brush strokes failed to capture the essence of the landscape.

adjective describing something as thoughtful or contemplative, often in a pretentious or self-important manner

• The professor stood at the front of the classroom, looking thoughtful with a chin-strokey gesture.
• She always gets a chin-strokey when she's trying to figure something out.
• I could see him doing the chin-strokey thing while he was deep in thought.
• Her decision-making process always involves a lot of chin-strokey moments.