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.
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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.
His Broadway debut came in 1970 as Snout in Peter Brook's critically acclaimed production of A Midsummer Night's Dream.
From BBC ● Oct. 29, 2026
The critically endangered subspecies, once found across the Middle East, Central Asia and India, now survives in very small numbers in Iran.
From Barron's ● Oct. 28, 2026
Dick and Charlie sustained injuries in the crash, and a copilot was critically injured.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 27, 2026
McDonagh has delivered responsibly budgeted movies that have so far been commercially successful and critically acclaimed awards contenders.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 26, 2026
But rest is critically important for development in young people.
From "Counting by 7s" by Holly Goldberg Sloan
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