critical condition

American  

[krit-i-kuhl kuhn-dish-uhn] / ˈkrɪt ɪ kəl kənˈdɪʃ ən /

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.

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Etymology

Origin of critical condition

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

Example Sentences

She also had been been separated from her mother and was severely emaciated and in critical condition when she was found on the side of a road.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2026

It added: "In addition to this unimaginable loss, their grandparents are currently in critical condition, fighting for their lives."

From BBC • Feb. 17, 2026

No details were immediately shared on the identities of the victims, but Goncalves said the wounded were in "critical condition."

From Barron's • Feb. 16, 2026

State-run television channel RT said he was in critical condition.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 6, 2026

Fox, who didn’t yet have a driver’s license, is semicomatose and still in critical condition.

From "The Adoration of Jenna Fox" by Mary E. Pearson