critical condition

[krit-i-kuhl kuhn-dish-uhn]

noun

1. Medicine/Medical.,  an unstable state, resulting from severe illness or injury, in which the patient’s vital signs and other symptoms indicate a significant risk of death.

   An 80-year-old man with serious head injuries was rushed from the accident scene to the hospital, where he remains in critical condition.

2. a state of serious disrepair or disarray.

   After years of underfunding, the city’s infrastructure is in critical condition.

Word History and Origins

Origin of critical condition¹

First recorded in 1860–65 critical condition for def. 1; 1950–55 critical condition for def. 2

Example Sentences

She was among the 36 dead, with the emergency services saying that the death toll could rise as some of the injured, numbering about 200, were in a critical condition.

From BBC

The partial collapse comes just a week after a fire in the same building left a teenage girl comatose and in critical condition, though her father told local outlet News 12 Long Island that she is now recovering.

From BBC

The agency initially said seven rescuers were injured and two were in a critical condition.

From BBC

Officials have not named the four people who were killed in the shooting, or the eight others who were injured, including one who was in critical condition.

From BBC

Paramedics transported one woman in critical condition and two in serious condition to a regional trauma center, according to the agency.

From Los Angeles Times