uncritical
un-KRIT-ih-kul
/ʌnˈkrɪt.ɪ.kəl/
Not expressing or using critical judgment; accepting things without questioning or evaluating them.
Implies passive, gullible, or lazy acceptance of claims.
The story behind the word. Combines the Germanic prefix 'un-' (not) with Greek 'kritikos' (discerning or able to judge, from 'krinein' meaning to separate or decide). Someone who is uncritical fails to perform that vital mental operation of sifting truth from falsehood.
Word relationships
- credulous: 'Credulous' implies a personality trait of believing things too easily, whereas 'uncritical' refers to a lack of active evaluation in a given situation.
- gullible: 'Gullible' implies easily tricked or cheated, whereas 'uncritical' focuses on failure to analyze.
- critical: Exercising careful judgment and questioning assumptions.
- discerning: Showing sharp perceptual power and sound judgment.
Commonly confused with
- hypercritical: 'Hypercritical' means excessively or unreasonably judgmental, whereas 'uncritical' means failing to exercise judgment at all.
Word family
- uncritically (adverb): Without critical thought or questioning.
Collocations
- uncritical acceptance
- uncritical support
- uncritical reader
- uncritical mind
Example sentences
- "An uncritical acceptance of claims found on social media makes voters vulnerable to disinformation campaigns." Media literacy
Memory hook
UNCRITICAL = UN-CRITIQUEing: taking things as they are without critique. UNCRITICAL = accepting without judging or questioning.
When not to use
Do not use to mean supportive or complimentary unless that praise stems from a lack of judgment.
Fun facts
- The root 'krinein' (to judge) also gave us 'crisis'—originally a medical turning point where a doctor had to judge whether a patient would live or die.
Related words
Explore more words
indoctrination, passivity, gullible, indoctrinate, credulous, heedless
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