Standard Lemma guide

uncritical

adj · 5 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: AH0 N K R IH1 T IH0 K AH0 L Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Lacking critique or critical examination; undiscriminating.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • an uncritical review

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

Having a disregard for critical standards or procedures.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

adj

Meaning 3

Slow to criticize.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • uncritical to the point of tolerating incompetence, jeopardizing the business model

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

adjective

Meaning 4

not critical; not tending to find or call attention to errors

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • a devoted and almost uncritical admirer

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: critical

5

adjective

Meaning 5

marked by disregard for critical standards or procedures

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • news sources reflected uncritical estimates of the number of juvenile addicts

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: noncritical

Antonyms: critical

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *né Proto-Indo-European *n̥- Proto-Germanic *un- Proto-West Germanic *un- Old English un- Middle English un- English un- Proto-Indo-European *krey- Proto-Indo-European *krinyétider. Proto-Hellenic *kríňňō Ancient Greek κρῑ́νω (krī́nō) Ancient Greek κρῐ- (krĭ-) Proto-Hellenic *-tās Ancient Greek -τής (-tḗs) Ancient Greek κρῐτής (krĭtḗs) Proto-Indo-European *-kos Proto-Hellenic *-kos Ancient Greek -κός (-kós) Ancient Greek -ῐκός (-ĭkós) Ancient Greek κριτικός (kritikós)bor. Latin criticus Proto-Indo-European *h2el-der.? Proto-Italic *-ālis Latin -ālisbor. Old French -albor. ▲ Latin -ālis Old French -elbor. ▲ Latin -ālisbor. Middle English -al English -al English critical English uncritical From un- + critical.

Across languages

Translations

7 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Finnish: kritiikitön — indulgent or undiscriminating; slow to criticize
  • German: unkritisch — indulgent or undiscriminating; slow to criticize
  • Polish: bezkrytyczny — indulgent or undiscriminating; slow to criticize
  • Romanian: necritic — indulgent or undiscriminating; slow to criticize
  • Romanian: indulgent — indulgent or undiscriminating; slow to criticize
  • Finnish: huolimaton — having a disregard for critical standards or procedures
  • Finnish: välinpitämätön — having a disregard for critical standards or procedures