critical
crit·i·cal
adj \ˈkri-ti-kəl\Definition of CRITICAL
1
a : of, relating to, or being a turning point or specially important juncture <a critical phase>: as (1) : relating to or being the stage of a disease at which an abrupt change for better or worse may be expected; also : being or relating to an illness or condition involving danger of death <critical care> <a patient listed in critical condition> (2) : relating to or being a state in which or a measurement or point at which some quality, property, or phenomenon suffers a definite change <critical temperature> b : crucial, decisive <a critical test> c : indispensable, vital <a critical waterfowl habitat> <a component critical to the operation of a machine> d : being in or approaching a state of crisis <a critical shortage> <a critical situation>
2
a : inclined to criticize severely and unfavorably b : consisting of or involving criticism <critical writings>; also : of or relating to the judgment of critics <the play was a critical success> c : exercising or involving careful judgment or judicious evaluation <critical thinking> d : including variant readings and scholarly emendations <a critical edition>
3
a : of sufficient size to sustain a chain reaction —used of a mass of fissionable material <a critical mass> b : sustaining a nuclear chain reaction <the reactor went critical>
— crit·i·cal·i·ty \ˌkri-tə-ˈka-lə-tē\ noun
— crit·i·cal·ly \ˈkri-ti-k(ə-)lē\ adverb
— crit·i·cal·ness \-kəl-nəs\ noun
See Examples of CRITICAL
- The program presents a critical analysis of the government's strategies.
- She has a talent for critical thinking.
- We need to look at these proposed changes with a critical eye before we accept them.
First Known Use of CRITICAL
1547
Related to CRITICAL
Synonyms: captious, carping, caviling (or cavilling), faultfinding, hypercritical, judgmental, overcritical, rejective
Antonyms: uncritical
Related Words: discerning, discriminating, judicious; demanding, exacting, fastidious, finical, finicky, fussy, nitpicky, particular, picky; pettifogging, quibbling; harsh, merciless, uncharitable, unforgiving
Synonym Discussion of CRITICAL
critical, hypercritical, faultfinding, captious, carping, censorious mean inclined to look for and point out faults and defects. critical may also imply an effort to see a thing clearly and truly in order to judge it fairly <a critical essay>. hypercritical suggests a tendency to judge by unreasonably strict standards <hypercritical disparagement of other people's work>. faultfinding implies a querulous or exacting temperament <a faultfinding reviewer>. captious suggests a readiness to detect trivial faults or raise objections on trivial grounds <a captious critic>. carping implies an ill-natured or perverse picking of flaws <a carping editorial>. censorious implies a disposition to be severely critical and condemnatory <the censorious tone of the review>.
Learn More About CRITICAL
Browse
Next Word in the Dictionary: critical angle
Previous Word in the Dictionary: critic (noun)
All Words Near: critical
Previous Word in the Dictionary: critic (noun)
All Words Near: critical
Seen & Heard 
What made you want to look up critical? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).
