American English
/ˈkʰɹɪ.ɾɪ.kl̩/
3 syllables · Stress the first syllable.
Extremely important; necessary for something to succeed or work well.
Practice out loudExtremely important; necessary for something to succeed or work well.
Good communication is critical to the project.
It is critical that you save your work.
critical role · critical factor · critical information · critical decision
be critical to/for + noun
It is critical that + subject + verb
Very serious and possibly dangerous, especially because it needs immediate attention.
The patient is in critical condition.
The firefighters arrived at a critical moment.
critical condition · critical situation · critical care · critical point
be in critical condition
Showing that you think a person or thing has faults.
She is very critical of her coworkers.
The article was critical of the new policy.
critical comments · highly critical · critical attitude
be critical of + noun
Involving careful examination and judgment instead of simply accepting ideas.
The course develops critical thinking.
We need a critical analysis of the results.
Critical thinking is not simply finding faults; it means examining ideas carefully.
critical thinking · critical analysis · critical reading · critical evaluation
critical thinking about + noun
a critical analysis of + noun
Careful thinking that examines evidence and different ideas before reaching a judgment.
Critical thinking helps you spot weak arguments.
So seriously ill or injured that death is possible.
The driver is still in critical condition.