Critical

Quick meaning: Critical is an adjective meaning Inclined to find fault or criticize.

Meaning

Inclined to find fault or criticize.

More Meanings

1. Pertaining to, or indicating, a crisis or turning point.
2. Extremely important.
3. Relating to criticism or careful analysis, such as literary or film criticism.
4. (medicine, by extension) In such a condition.
5. Likely to go out of control if disturbed, that is, opposite of stable.
6. (physics) Of the point (in temperature, reagent concentration etc.) where a nuclear or chemical reaction becomes self-sustaining.
7. (medicine) 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.

Example Sentences

This is a critical moment.

A good teacher is fair but critical.

It's critical that you deliver this on time.

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

Word Forms

• criticals

Synonyms for critical

Depending on context, synonyms include fastidious, captious, censorious, exacting, judgmental, crucial.

Antonyms for critical

Common opposites include uncritical.

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include faultfinding, censorious, hypercritical, pettifogging, quibbling, dangerous.

Commonly Confused & Compared Words

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