commentary
noun
com·men·tary
ˈkä-mən-ˌter-ē 
-ˌte-rē
plural commentaries
1
a
: an explanatory treatise
—usually used in plural
Blackstone's Commentaries on the Laws of England
b
: a record of events usually written by a participant
—usually used in plural
Caesar's Commentaries on the Gallic War
2
a
: a systematic series of explanations or interpretations (as of a writing)
a commentary on Dante's Divine Comedy
b
3
a
: something that serves for illustration or explanation
The dark, airless apartments and sunless factories … are a sad commentary upon our civilization.—
Harry Allen Overstreet
Harry Allen Overstreet
b
: an expression of opinion
The magazine article is a commentary on cyberbullying.
Examples of commentary in a Sentence
The television show features political commentary by well-known journalists.
The magazine includes humor and social commentary.
The book is a commentary on her experiences abroad.
I like listening to his social commentaries.
He provided commentary during the game.
The major television stations provided running commentaries on the election results.
Recent Examples on the Web
The Olympics opening ceremony shined with best of Paris and France, but failed as TV: Often enough the grandeur, audacity and nuttiness of the opening ceremony shone through onscreen, but commentary, cutaways and commercials fragmented the experience this time, our critic writes.
—Los Angeles Times Staff, Los Angeles Times, 27 Dec. 2024
More:Daddy Days: A penny for your … 4 – The 4-year-old’s food commentary.
—Caleb Harris, Austin American-Statesman, 26 Dec. 2024
Teddy has married Clara’s best friend, a woman from a very different station in life, and the subtle excavations of their varying perspective offers a subtle social commentary, laid on top of this propulsive and highly entertaining thriller.
—Vogue, 26 Dec. 2024
Sign up for my newsletter for more reviews and commentary on entertainment and culture.
—Erik Kain, Forbes, 25 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for commentary 
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Los Angeles Times Staff, Los Angeles Times, 27 Dec. 2024
More:Daddy Days: A penny for your … 4 – The 4-year-old’s food commentary.
—Caleb Harris, Austin American-Statesman, 26 Dec. 2024
Teddy has married Clara’s best friend, a woman from a very different station in life, and the subtle excavations of their varying perspective offers a subtle social commentary, laid on top of this propulsive and highly entertaining thriller.
—Vogue, 26 Dec. 2024
Sign up for my newsletter for more reviews and commentary on entertainment and culture.
—Erik Kain, Forbes, 25 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for commentary
Dictionary Entries Near commentary
Cite this Entry
“Commentary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/commentary. Accessed 1 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
commentary
noun
com·men·tary
ˈkäm-ən-ˌter-ē
plural commentaries
: a series of comments or notes
also
: a book made up of such material
—usually used in plural
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