critical

[krit-i-kuhl]

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR critical ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

inclined to find fault or to judge with severity, often too readily.

occupied with or skilled in criticism.

involving skillful judgment as to truth, merit, etc.; judicial: a critical analysis.

of or relating to critics or criticism: critical essays.

providing textual variants, proposed emendations, etc.: a critical edition of Chaucer.

pertaining to or of the nature of a crisis: a critical shortage of food.

of decisive importance with respect to the outcome; crucial: a critical moment.

of essential importance; indispensable: a critical ingredient.

Medicine/Medical. (of a patient's condition) having unstable and abnormal vital signs and other unfavorable indicators, as loss of appetite, poor mobility, or unconsciousness.

Physics.

pertaining to a state, value, or quantity at which one or more properties of a substance or system undergo a change.
(of fissionable material) having enough mass to sustain a chain reaction.

Nearby words

Origin of critical

First recorded in 1580–90; critic + -al¹

SYNONYMS FOR critical

1. captious, censorious, carping, faultfinding, caviling. 3. discriminating, exact, precise.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR critical ON THESAURUS.COM

Related forms

crit·i·cal·ly, adverbcrit·i·cal·i·ty, crit·i·cal·ness, nounan·ti·crit·i·cal, adjectivean·ti·crit·i·cal·ly, adverb

an·ti·crit·i·cal·ness, nounhalf-crit·i·cal, adjectivehalf-crit·i·cal·ly, adverbhalf-crit·i·cal·ness, nounnon·crit·i·cal, adjectivenon·crit·i·cal·ly, adverbnon·crit·i·cal·ness, nounpost·crit·i·cal, adjectivepseu·do·crit·i·cal, adjectivepseu·do·crit·i·cal·ly, adverbqua·si-crit·i·cal, adjectivequa·si-crit·i·cal·ly, adverb

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for critical

Dossi initially was listed in critical condition with wounds to his arm and lower back.
Shot Down During the NYPD Slowdown|Michael Daly|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST
But by the time a critical wanted poster sent via fax arrived, more than two hours elapsed.
Alleged Cop Killer Ismaaiyl Brinsley Had a Death Wish|M.L. Nestel|December 22, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Truth is, no one is sure how Cuba will play in the critical swing state of Florida in 2016.
How Will Cuba Play In Peoria?|Eleanor Clift|December 21, 2014|DAILY BEAST
And the actor says his childhood experience plays a critical role in his performance.
After The Fall: Introducing The Anti-Villain|Rich Goldstein|December 21, 2014|DAILY BEAST

The outcome of the rum feud is critical for both Bacardi and Pernod Ricard, because the winner could net billions in future sales.
Why Congress Hates Your Cuban Rum|Tim Mak|December 19, 2014|DAILY BEAST
And no one has done more to bring us that critical and creative freedom and enlargement of scope than Remy de Gourmont.
The Book of Masks|Remy de Gourmont
Ermigit went to work so well, that even a critical judge could not have pronounced him better or worse than his brother.
Red Rooney|R.M. Ballantyne
I suppose I am too critical of women to submit to their fascination.
Original Short Stories, Volume 8 (of 13)|Guy de Maupassant
I thought him a little cool and critical in manner, but his voice was pleasant.
The Girl's Own Paper, Vol. VIII, No. 355, October 16, 1886|Various
The anxiety of Washington in this critical state of the army, may be judged from his correspondence with Reed.
The Student's Life of Washington; Condensed from the Larger Work of Washington Irving|Washington Irving

British Dictionary definitions for critical

critical

adjective

containing or making severe or negative judgments

containing careful or analytical evaluationsa critical dissertation

of or involving a critic or criticism

of or forming a crisis; crucial; decisivea critical operation

urgently neededcritical medical supplies

informal so seriously injured or ill as to be in danger of dying

physics of, denoting, or concerned with a state in which the properties of a system undergo an abrupt changea critical temperature

go critical (of a nuclear power station or reactor) to reach a state in which a nuclear-fission chain reaction becomes self-sustaining

Derived Formscritically, adverbcriticalness, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for critical

critical

adj.

1580s, "censorious," from critic + -al (1). Meaning "pertaining to criticism" is from 1741; medical sense is from c.1600; meaning "of the nature of a crisis" is from 1640s; that of "crucial" is from 1841, from the "decisive" sense in Latin criticus. Related: Criticality (1756; in the nuclear sense, 1950); critically (1650s, "accurately;" 1815, "in a critical situation"). In nuclear science, critical mass is attested from 1940.

Medicine definitions for critical

critical

[krĭt′ĭ-kəl]

adj.

Of or relating to a medical crisis.

Being or relating to a grave physical condition especially of a patient.

Of or relating to the value of a measurement, such as temperature, at which an abrupt change in a chemical of physical quality, property, or state occurs.

critical

adjective

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Origin of critical

Examples from the Web for critical

critical

adjective

critical

critical

adj.