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Showing results for critical period. Search instead for neonatal period.
Synonyms

critical period

British  

noun

  1. psychol a period in a lifetime during which a specific stage of development usually occurs. If it fails to do so, it cannot readily occur afterwards

"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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Without further studies, it isn’t certain that young children can safely use the medications for weight loss without compromising a critical period of growth for their bones and brain.

From The Wall Street Journal Jun. 26, 2026

“Sudden explosive noise, concussive blasts, and bright flashes have the potential to startle young birds, creating unnecessary risk during a critical period of development.”

From Los Angeles Times Jun. 24, 2026

IPOs conducted from 2007 to 2022, my co-authors and I examined what happens in the critical period just before and after companies go public.

From Salon Jun. 13, 2026

Rivian faces “a critical period of execution,” Barclays analyst Dan Levy wrote in a recent report.

From Barron's Jun. 9, 2026

By deserting their native land at the most critical period of its history, the French nobility cast a stain on their order, which may never be wiped out.

From The Maid of Honour, Volume 2 (of 3) A Tale of the Dark Days of France by Wingfield, Lewis

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