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

See Examples For:

critical condition

She survived the injections, however, and was rushed to hospital, where she had been unconscious and on a ventilator in critical condition.

From Barron's ● Oct. 7, 2026

The other pedestrian, a teenage girl, was rushed to the hospital in critical condition, the outlet reported.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 23, 2026

After undergoing complex heart surgery in mid-August, the baby remains in critical condition.

From Slate ● Sep. 17, 2026

Two others remain in critical condition while one is in stable condition, she said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 9, 2026

She was in critical condition, and there was no way of knowing what the outcome would be.

From "Silent To The Bone" by E.L. Konigsburg