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Synonyms

criticality

British  
/ ˌkrɪtɪˈkælɪtɪ /

noun

  1. the state of being critical

  2. physics the condition in a nuclear reactor when the fissionable material can sustain a chain reaction by itself

"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

Example Sentences

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See Examples For:

That “makes sense given the size of the business and its criticality to the company and their customers,” he said.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 3, 2026

We’ve had water treatment failures, chemical imbalances brought on by malfunction, E. coli contamination, and the people of Flint, Michigan, of course, appreciate the criticality of clean water better than anyone in the country.

From Slate ● Aug. 19, 2026

Four startups, including one from a separate DOE program, say they have achieved criticality, or self-sustaining nuclear reactions, with their reactor designs.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026

With its safety analysis complete, the company confirmed it was on track to achieve first criticality for the Groves nuclear reactor this month.

From Barron's ● Jul. 1, 2026

With this realization, priorities have been assigned to all critical circuits transiting the key facilities, based on established criteria of criticality of service continuity.

From An Assessment of the Consequences and Preparations for a Catastrophic California Earthquake: Findings and Actions Taken Prepared By Federal Emergency Management Agency by Various

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