critical Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. adjective marked by a tendency to find and call attention to errors and flaws
    • a critical attitude
  2. adjective 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. adjective characterized by careful evaluation and judgment
    • a critical reading
    • a critical dissertation
    • a critical analysis of Melville's writings
  4. adjective satellite urgently needed; absolutely necessary
    vital.
    • a critical element of the plan
    • critical medical supplies
    • vital for a healthy society
    • of vital interest
  5. adjective satellite forming or having the nature of a turning point or crisis
    decisive.
    • a critical point in the campaign
    • the critical test
  6. adjective 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. adjective of or involving or characteristic of critics or criticism
    • critical acclaim

WordNet

Crit"ic*al adjective
Etymology
See Critic, n., Crisis.
Definitions
  1. Qualified to criticise, or pass judgment upon, literary or artistic productions.
    It is submitted to the judgment of more critical ears to direct and determine what is graceful and what is not. Holder.
  2. Pertaining to criticism or the critic's art; of the nature of a criticism; accurate; as, critical knowledge; a critical dissertation.
  3. Inclined to make nice distinctions, or to exercise careful judgment and selection; exact; nicely judicious.
    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. Bp. Stillingfleet.
  4. Inclined to criticise or find fault; fastidious; captious; censorious; exacting.
    O gentle lady, do not put me to 't, For I am nothing, if not critical. Shak.
  5. Characterized by thoroughness and a reference to principles, as becomes a critic; as, a critical analysis of a subject.
  6. See Crisis. 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.
    Our circumstances are indeed critical. Burke.
    The small moment, the exact point, the critical minute, on which every good work so much depends. South.

Webster 1913