Definitions for Critical
ˈkrɪt ɪ kəlcrit·i·cal

Princeton's WordNetRate this definition:3.3 / 4 votes

1. criticaladjective

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

   "a critical attitude"

2. criticaladjective

   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. criticaladjective

   characterized by careful evaluation and judgment

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

4. critical, vitaladjective

   urgently needed; absolutely necessary

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

5. critical, decisiveadjective

   forming or having the nature of a turning point or crisis

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

6. criticaladjective

   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. criticaladjective

   of or involving or characteristic of critics or criticism

   "critical acclaim"

WiktionaryRate this definition:1.0 / 1 vote

1. criticaladjective

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

   A good teacher is fair but critical.

2. criticaladjective

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

   This is a critical moment.

3. criticaladjective

   Extremely important.

   It's critical that you deliver this on time.

4. criticaladjective

   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. criticaladjective

   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. criticaladjective

   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. criticaladjective

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

   The reaction was about to become critical.

8. Etymology: From the suffix -al and, from <

Samuel Johnson's DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Criticaladjective

   Etymology: from critick.

   1. Exact; nicely judicious; accurate; diligent.

   It is submitted to the judgment of more critical ears, to direct and determine what is graceful and what is not. William Holder.

   Virgil was so critical in the rites of religion, that he would never have brought in such prayers as these, if they had not been agreeable to the Roman customs. Edward Stillingfleet.

   2. Relating to criticism; as, he wrote a critical dissertation on the last play.3. Captious; inclined to find fault.

   What wouldst thou write of me, if thou shouldst praise me? ——
   —— O, gentle lady, do not put me to’t;
   For I am nothing, if not critical. William Shakespeare, Othello.

   4. [from crisis.]Comprising the time at which a great event is determined.

   The moon is supposed to be measured by sevens, and the critical or decretory days to be dependent on that number. Thomas Browne, Vulgar Errours, b. iv. c. 12.

   Opportunity is in respect to time, in some sense, as time is in respect to eternity: it is the small moment, the exact point, the critical minute, on which every good work so much depends. Thomas Sprat, Sermons.

   The people cannot but resent to see their apprehensions of the power of France, in so critical a juncture, wholly laid aside. Jonathan Swift.

Webster DictionaryRate this definition:4.0 / 1 vote

1. Criticalnoun

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

2. Criticalnoun

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

3. Criticalnoun

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

4. Criticalnoun

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

5. Criticalnoun

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

6. Criticalnoun

   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

7. Etymology: [See Critic, n., Crisis.]

Matched Categories

1. • Chemistry
   • Physics

British National Corpus

1. Spoken Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'Critical' in Spoken Corpus Frequency: #1787

2. Written Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'Critical' in Written Corpus Frequency: #2749

3. Adjectives Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'Critical' in Adjectives Frequency: #234

How to pronounce Critical?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

How to say Critical in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of Critical in Chaldean Numerology is: 9

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of Critical in Pythagorean Numerology is: 3

Examples of Critical in a Sentence

1. David Axelrod:

   On this particular story, they just don’t look good, they are in between a rock and a hard place and the critical mistake was in fact, the drip, drip, drip.

2. Taslima Nasreen:

   I never thought it would happen. He has been living in the West, and he has been protected since 1989, if he is attacked, anyone who is critical of Islam can be attacked. I am worried.

3. Timothy Pietrack:

   U.S. Africa Command would like to thank all of our African and international partners who provided excellent cooperation over the months leading up to this recovery, in particular, the government of Niger, who were critical to this effort.

4. Mexican American:

   What you can actually look at is making sure kids stay in school, making sure they finish high school, that cognitive reserve is so critical.

5. Arthur Koestler:

   Politics can be relatively fair in the breathing spaces of history; at its critical turning points there is no other rule possible than the old one, that the end justifies the means.

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