critical

critical — adjective

1. pointing out flaws in someone or something; expressing the view that a person, a

1.adjectiveB1
Definition

pointing out flaws in someone or something; expressing the view that a person, action, or thing has serious faults.

Example

The article was highly critical of the government's new education policy.

critical of + noun: expressing disapproval of something

Dylan's mother was critical of his messy room and told him to clean it up.

Common collocations
  • critical of
  • highly critical
  • openly critical
Synonyms
  • disapproving

    softer, focuses on having a negative opinion rather than actively stating it

  • judgmental

    stronger, implies a habit of forming quick negative opinions

  • harsh

    describes the tone or severity, not the act of criticizing itself

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

critical + of + noun/pronoun

Usage Note

The person or thing receiving the criticism follows the preposition 'of', not 'about' or 'toward'.

Common Mistakes

She was critical about his work.
She was critical of his work.
'critical' takes 'of', not 'about'.

2. relating to the work of a critic; involving careful analysis and judgment of the

2.adjectiveB2
Definition

relating to the work of a critic; involving careful analysis and judgment of the quality of books, films, plays, music, or other works of art.

Example

The novel received widespread critical acclaim after its publication.

critical acclaim: widespread praise from reviewers

Élise is writing a critical essay on the director's early films.

Common collocations
  • critical acclaim
  • critical success
  • critical review
  • critical essay
Synonyms
  • evaluative

    more formal; focuses on the act of assessing quality

  • analytical

    focuses on breaking down and examining rather than passing judgment

Grammar Patterns

critical + noun (review, essay, analysis, acclaim)

Usage Note

In this sense, 'critical' is neutral — it refers to analysis and evaluation, not necessarily negative judgment. A 'critical success' is a work praised by reviewers.

Common Mistakes

The film was critical successful.
The film was a critical success.
'critical' is an adjective, so it modifies a noun, not an adverb.

3. extremely important because what happens next depends on it; absolutely needed f

3.adjectiveB2
Definition

extremely important because what happens next depends on it; absolutely needed for a particular result to be achieved.

Example

It is critical that the medicine be kept at the right temperature.

it is critical + that-clause (subjunctive)

Good communication is critical to the success of any team project.

critical to + noun: essential for achieving something

Common collocations
  • critical to
  • critical for
  • critical factor
  • critical moment
  • critical role
Synonyms
  • crucial

    nearly identical in meaning and formality; the most direct synonym

  • vital

    emphasizes that something is needed for life or continued existence

  • essential

    focuses on something being absolutely necessary rather than time-dependent

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

critical + to + noun

critical + for + noun

it is critical + that-clause

critical + infinitive

Usage Note

This sense is often used with 'that'-clauses in formal contexts. Note the subjunctive verb form: 'It is critical that he arrive (not arrives) on time.' In less formal speech, the subjunctive is sometimes dropped.

Common Mistakes

It is critical that he arrives before noon.
It is critical that he arrive before noon.
After 'critical that', use the base form of the verb (subjunctive).

4. describing raw materials and minerals that a country must have for its industrie

4.adjectiveC1
Definition

describing raw materials and minerals that a country must have for its industries and economy, yet are hard to get because supply is limited.

Example

Lithium is considered a critical mineral for battery production.

critical mineral / critical raw material

The government created a list of critical materials that the country cannot afford to lose.

Common collocations
  • critical mineral
  • critical material
  • critical resource
Synonyms
  • essential

    broader; does not imply scarcity, only necessity

Grammar Patterns

critical + noun (minerals, materials, resources, supplies)

Usage Note

This sense is limited to discussions of natural resources, industrial supply chains, and economic planning. It is rarely used in everyday conversation.

5. so serious or dangerous that death becomes a real possibility; used for illnesse

5.adjectiveB2
Definition

so serious or dangerous that death becomes a real possibility; used for illnesses, injuries, or medical conditions.

Example

The driver was rushed to the hospital in critical condition after the crash.

in critical condition: set phrase for medical status

Her lung infection became critical and required immediate surgery.

Common collocations
  • critical condition
  • critical illness
  • critical injury
  • critical stage
Synonyms
  • life-threatening

    clearly indicates risk of death; more formal

  • grave

    very formal and serious; used in medical and news contexts

Antonyms
  • stable

    condition not worsening; opposite of dangerously unstable

Grammar Patterns

critical + noun (condition, illness, injury, stage)

Usage Note

Hospitals and news reports use 'critical condition' as a standard classification. It is more severe than 'serious' and less severe than 'critical and unstable' in some systems. See also sense 6 for describing a person.

Common Mistakes

He was critical after the accident.
He was in critical condition after the accident.
The condition is critical, not the person directly (though sense 6 is an exception).

6. so badly hurt or extremely sick that dying is a strong possibility; used when de

6.adjectiveB2
Definition

so badly hurt or extremely sick that dying is a strong possibility; used when describing a person's medical state.

Example

After the surgery, the patient was critical but stable.

critical but stable: common medical phrase

The young man was listed as critical by the hospital staff.

Common collocations
  • remain critical
  • listed as critical
  • critical patient
Synonyms
  • critically ill

    slightly more formal; 'critically injured' is used for physical trauma

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

be + critical (describing a person)

Usage Note

This sense describes the person directly ('The patient is critical'), unlike sense 5 which describes the illness or injury. In everyday speech the two overlap, but medical staff distinguish between 'a critical patient' (sense 6) and 'a critical condition' (sense 5).

Common Mistakes

My grandmother is in a critical.
My grandmother is critical.' or 'My grandmother is in critical condition.
'critical' is an adjective, not a noun.

7. involving careful, fact-based assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of some

7.adjectiveB2
Definition

involving careful, fact-based assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of someone or something.

Example

Schools should teach students critical thinking skills from an early age.

critical thinking: set phrase for analytical reasoning

Vikram's critical analysis of the data revealed several mistakes in the original report.

Common collocations
  • critical thinking
  • critical analysis
  • critical examination
  • critical evaluation
Synonyms
  • analytical

    focuses on breaking information into parts to understand it

  • evaluative

    focuses on forming a judgment about quality or value

  • objective

    emphasizes fairness and lack of bias

Antonyms
  • uncritical

    accepting things without questioning or examining them

  • subjective

    based on personal feelings rather than facts

Grammar Patterns

critical + noun (thinking, analysis, examination, evaluation)

Usage Note

This sense is neutral and positive — being 'critical' here means thinking carefully and objectively, not finding fault. 'Critical thinking' is a core educational goal that involves logic, questioning assumptions, and evaluating evidence.

Common Mistakes

Critical thinking means finding problems in everything.
Critical thinking means carefully evaluating information before forming an opinion.
In this sense, 'critical' is about careful analysis, not negativity.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/3

All four words mean 'extremely important,' but they have different emphases and contexts. 'Critical' (sense 3) stresses that a situation will change depending on this factor — it is a decisive point. 'Crucial' is the closest synonym and is largely interchangeable with 'critical' in this sense, though 'crucial' leans slightly more toward 'decisive turning point.' 'Vital' originally means 'needed for life' and still carries that nuance — it suggests something is so important that without it, the whole effort would fail. 'Essential' is the broadest of the four, simply meaning 'absolutely necessary' without the time-dependent or life-or-death connotations. For example: 'Getting the funding is critical for the project's launch next month' (time-sensitive). 'Clean water is vital for the refugees' (life-or-death). 'A passport is essential for international travel' (necessary, not time-sensitive).

critical ↗crucial ↗vital ↗essential ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • of critical importance
  • in critical condition
  • critical of something

Prepositions

Etymology

GreekLatinFrenchEnglish

The word 'critical' comes from the Latin 'criticus,' meaning 'able to judge,' which in turn comes from the Greek 'kritikos' ('able to discern or judge') and 'krites' ('a judge'). The Greek root is also the source of 'crisis' — the idea of a decisive moment requiring judgment. Over centuries, 'critical' developed two main branches: one focused on the act of judging (finding fault, evaluating art, thinking analytically) and another focused on the decisive moment itself (a critical point in an illness, a critical issue that determines outcomes). The medical sense of 'at risk of death' emerged in the 17th century, following the idea of a disease reaching its decisive turning point.