critically endangered

American  

[krit-i-klee en-deyn-jerd] / ˈkrɪt ɪ kli ɛnˈdeɪn dʒərd /

adjective

Biology, Ecology.

1. (of athreatened species ) having the highest risk of extinction, as categorized by the IUCN Red List: CR

   The list of critically endangered frog species is alarmingly long.

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Etymology

Origin of critically endangered

First recorded in 1945–50

Example Sentences

The fire also passed through a grove of critically endangered Torrey pines, which I had hiked up to and gazed down on the island’s crystal blue water.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 5, 2026

The Gilbert's potoroo, a critically endangered species found only in Western Australia, has fewer than 150 animals left in the wild.

From Science Daily • May 20, 2026

Rather than being classified as extinct, the plant has now been moved to the critically endangered list, allowing scientists and conservation groups to focus on protecting it.

From Science Daily • May 18, 2026

As Scott Weidensaul tells us, poisoning has led to seven of Africa’s 10 vulture species being listed as endangered or critically endangered, with populations down as much as 97%.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 1, 2026

And the family, from Tredegar, Blaenau Gwent, are far from alone in seeking out the amphibians, which are critically endangered and only found in lakes and wetlands in southern Mexico City.

From BBC • Apr. 26, 2026