Princeton's WordNet

1. critical(adj)

   marked by a tendency to find and call attention to errors and flaws

   "a critical attitude"

2. critical(adj)

   at or of a point at which a property or phenomenon suffers an abrupt change especially having enough mass to sustain a chain reaction

   "a critical temperature of water is 100 degrees C--its boiling point at standard atmospheric pressure"; "critical mass"; "go critical"

3. critical(adj)

   characterized by careful evaluation and judgment

   "a critical reading"; "a critical dissertation"; "a critical analysis of Melville's writings"

4. critical, vital(adj)

   urgently needed; absolutely necessary

   "a critical element of the plan"; "critical medical supplies"; "vital for a healthy society"; "of vital interest"

5. critical, decisive(adj)

   forming or having the nature of a turning point or crisis

   "a critical point in the campaign"; "the critical test"

6. critical(adj)

   being in or verging on a state of crisis or emergency

   "a critical shortage of food"; "a critical illness"; "an illness at the critical stage"

7. critical(adj)

   of or involving or characteristic of critics or criticism

   "critical acclaim"

Kernerman English Learner's Dictionary

1. critical(adjective)ˈkrɪt ɪ kəl

   judging sb or sth negatively

   very critical of my work; a highly critical statement

2. criticalˈkrɪt ɪ kəl

   having an extremely important effect on a result; = crucial

   a critical moment in the campaign; His success is critical to his family's survival.

3. criticalˈkrɪt ɪ kəl

   looking carefully at details before judging

   to take a critical look at the play

4. criticalˈkrɪt ɪ kəl

   (of a patient at a hospital) very seriously ill or injured

   critically ill/wounded; She looked at it critically.; a critically important day

Wiktionary

1. critical(Adjective)

   Inclined to find fault or criticize; fastidious; captious; censorious; exacting.

   A good teacher is fair but critical.

2. critical(Adjective)

   Pertaining to, or indicating, a crisis or turning point.

   This is a critical moment.

3. critical(Adjective)

   Extremely important.

   It's critical that you deliver this on time.

4. critical(Adjective)

   Relating to criticism or careful analysis, such as literary or film criticism.

   The movie was a critical success, but bombed at the box-office.

5. critical(Adjective)

   Of a patient condition involving unstable vital signs and a prognosis that predicts the condition could worsen; or, a patient condition that requires urgent treatment in an intensive care or critical care medical facility.

   The patient's condition is critical.

6. critical(Adjective)

   Likely to go out of control if disturbed, that is, opposite of stable.

   The political situation was so critical that the government declared the state of siege.

7. critical(Adjective)

   Of the point (in temperature, reagent concentration etc.) where a nuclear or chemical reaction becomes self-sustaining.

   The reaction was about to become critical.

Origin: From the suffix -al and , from <

Webster Dictionary

1. Critical(noun)

   qualified to criticise, or pass judgment upon, literary or artistic productions

2. Critical(noun)

   pertaining to criticism or the critic's art; of the nature of a criticism; accurate; as, critical knowledge; a critical dissertation

3. Critical(noun)

   inclined to make nice distinctions, or to exercise careful judgment and selection; exact; nicely judicious

4. Critical(noun)

   inclined to criticise or find fault; fastidious; captious; censorious; exacting

5. Critical(noun)

   characterized by thoroughness and a reference to principles, as becomes a critic; as, a critical analysis of a subject

6. Critical(noun)

   pertaining to, or indicating, a crisis, turning point, or specially important juncture; important as regards consequences; hence, of doubtful issue; attended with risk; dangerous; as, the critical stage of a fever; a critical situation

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