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.
The critically endangered Torrey pine tree only grows naturally two places in the world — a state park near San Diego and on Santa Rosa Island — and one of those places is on fire.
From Los Angeles Times • May 20, 2026
Rather than being classified as extinct, the plant has now been moved to the critically endangered list, allowing scientists and conservation groups to focus on protecting it.
From Science Daily • May 18, 2026
“It has become a game of chicken between physical tightening and confidence that diplomacy or reopening headlines arrive before inventories become critically stressed.”
From MarketWatch • May 18, 2026
It depicts Caesar Rodney, who cast a clinching vote in the 1776 US Declaration of Independence from Britain but is viewed critically by some because he owned slaves.
From Barron's • May 17, 2026
Keegan is among the most esteemed military historians who ever lived, and A History of Warfare was a critically acclaimed bestseller.
From "The Sense of Style" by Steven Pinker
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.
