critically
Americanadverb
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in a judgmental or disapproving manner.
The backlash was immediate after he spoke critically of his opponent’s personal life.
-
in a manner involving skillful analysis of merit, as of a decision or work of art or literature: critically admired novels.
a critically sanctioned project;
critically admired novels.
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to a devastating degree, leading to or reaching a crisis.
As floodwaters rise, we are critically lacking sandbags and evacuation transport.
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seriously or extremely, as of a gravely unstable medical condition: a critically ill pneumonia patient.
critically injured;
a critically ill pneumonia patient.
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with decisive or essential importance with respect to the outcome; crucially; indispensably.
The success of this experiment critically relies on optimal weather.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of critically
First recorded in 1645–55; critical ( def. ) + -ly ( def. )
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.
Critically, court records are usually public, and court sessions open to the public.
From Slate • Apr. 27, 2026
Critically, Cembalest’s argument in support of this conclusion doesn’t rest on theory or conjecture.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 6, 2026
Critically, the long-term fundamentals driving the region’s infrastructure market remain intact, including strong economic growth trends and a robust push to involve private players in the sector.
From Barron's • Mar. 5, 2026
Critically, they found it was hard to measure financial returns.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 18, 2026
Critically for the giant panda—and all the species under its umbrella—the government and the conservationists are collaborating, attacking the many pieces of the habitat puzzle.
From "Camp Panda" by Catherine Thimmesh
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.
