critical condition
Americannoun
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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.
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a state of serious disrepair or disarray.
After years of underfunding, the city’s infrastructure is in critical condition.
Etymology
Origin of critical condition
First recorded in 1860–65 critical condition for def. 1; 1950–55 critical condition for def. 2
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The other was in critical condition, officials said Friday.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 14, 2026
A sixth occupant of the vehicle, Aurelio Calixtro Matias, 24, remains hospitalized in critical condition, police said.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 10, 2026
Thirty-nine hospital staff were among the injured, with four in a critical condition.
From BBC • Jun. 2, 2026
A 65-year-old French woman became symptomatic on the repatriation flight and ended up in critical condition in a Paris hospital with a confirmed case of hantavirus.
From Barron's • May 18, 2026
She was in critical condition, and there was no way of knowing what the outcome would be.
From "Silent To The Bone" by E.L. Konigsburg
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
