The meaning of CRITICAL is inclined to criticize severely and unfavorably. How to use critical in a sentence. Synonym Discussion of Critical.

CRITICAL definition: 1. saying that someone or something is bad or wrong: 2. giving or relating to opinions or…. Learn more.

adjective inclined to find fault or to judge with severity, often too readily. Parents who are too critical make their children anxious.

If a person is critical or in a critical condition in hospital, they are seriously ill. Ten of the injured are said to be in critical condition.

inclined to find fault or to judge severely: remarks far too critical of the queen. of or relating to critics or criticism:[before a noun] a critical edition of Chaucer.

If you are critical of someone or something, you show that you disapprove of them. When critical has this meaning, it can be used in front of a noun or after a linking verb.

Oct 8, 2025 · (physics) Of a temperature that is equal to the temperature of the critical point of a substance, i.e. the temperature above which the substance cannot be liquefied.

There are 16 meanings listed in OED's entry for the word critical, one of which is labelled obsolete. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.

Some common synonyms of critical are captious, carping, censorious, faultfinding, and hypercritical. While all these words mean "inclined to look for and point out faults and defects," …

Aug 21, 2024 · Critical condition, serious condition, stable: What do these terms mean? Learn how hospitals describe patients' condition to the press and public.