critical
pronunciation
How to pronounce critical in British English:
UK [ˈkrɪtɪkl]
How to pronounce critical in American English:
US [ˈkrɪtɪkl]
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- Adjective:
- marked by a tendency to find and call attention to errors and flaws
- at or of a point at which a property or phenomenon suffers an abrupt change especially having enough mass to sustain a chain reaction
- characterized by careful evaluation and judgment
- urgently needed; absolutely necessary
- forming or having the nature of a turning point or crisis
- being in or verging on a state of crisis or emergency
- of or involving or characteristic of critics or criticism
Word Origin
- critical (adj.)
- 1580s, "censorious," from critic + -al (1). Meaning "pertaining to criticism" is from 1741; medical sense is from c. 1600; meaning "of the nature of a crisis" is from 1640s; that of "crucial" is from 1841, from the "decisive" sense in Latin criticus. Related: Criticality (1756; in the nuclear sense, 1950); critically (1650s, "accurately;" 1815, "in a critical situation"). In nuclear science, critical mass is attested from 1940.
Synonym
Antonym
Example
- 1. Here , marketing plays a critical role .
- 2. This is a critical but often-overlooked component of personal branding .
- 3. But it was last year 's election that made the situation critical .
- 4. Europe 's leaders long critical of italy should take note .
- 5. With the imf at a critical juncture , a leadership vacuum must be avoided .