Critical

Definition: Critical

Critical

Adjective

1. Marked by a tendency to find and call attention to errors and flaws; "a critical attitude".

2. (chemistry and physics) 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. Characterized by careful evaluation and judgment; "a critical reading"; "a critical dissertation"; "a critical analysis of Melville's writings.

4. Urgently needed; absolutely necessary; "a critical element of the plan"; "critical medical supplies"; "vital for a healthy society"; "of vital interest".

5. Forming or having the nature of a turning point or crisis; "a critical point in the campaign"; "the critical test".

6. 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. Of or involving or characteristic of critics or criticism; "critical acclaim".

Source: WordNet 1.7.1 Copyright © 2001 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
 

Date "critical" was first used in popular English literature: sometime before 1374. (references)

Aerospace

Nuclear Energy & Physics

Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

Source: compiled by the editor, based on several corpora (additional references).

Synonyms: Critical

Circumstance

Adjective: circumstantial; given, conditional, provisional; critical; modal; contingent, incidental; adventitious; (extrinsic); limitative.

Danger

At stake, in question; precarious, critical, ticklish; slippery, slippy; hanging by a thread; Verb: with a halter round one's neck; between the hammer and the anvil, between Scylla and Charybdis, between a rock and a hard place, between the devil and the deep blue sea, between two fires; on the edge of a precipice, on the brink of a precipice, on the verge of a precipice, on the edge of a volcano; in the lion's den, on slippery ground, under fire; not out of the wood.

Detraction

Critical.

Difficulty

Nonplus, quandary, strait, pass, pinch, pretty pass, stress, brunt; critical situation, crisis; trial, rub, emergency, exigency, scramble.

Embarrassing, perplexing; (uncertain); delicate, ticklish, critical; beset with difficulties, full of difficulties, surrounded by difficulties, entangled by difficulties, encompassed with difficulties.

Disapprobation

Satirical, sarcastic, sardonic, cynical, dry, sharp, cutting, biting, severe, withering, trenchant, hard upon; censorious, critical, captious, carping, hypercritical; fastidious; sparing of praise, grudging praise.

Importance

Urgent, pressing, critical, instant.

Judgment

Phrase: "a Daniel come to judgment"; "and stand a critic, hated yet caress'd"; "it is much easier to be critical than to be correct"; la critique est aisee et l'art est difficile; "nothing if not critical"; "O most lame and impotent conclusion".

Occasion

Providential, lucky, fortunate, happy, favorable, propitious, auspicious, critical; suitable; obiter dicta.

Crosswords: Critical

I've been critical of the Academyand for reason. (The 52nd Annual Academy Awards; writing credit: Geum-sam Lee)

Zis is critical. (The Producers; writing credit: Mel Brooks)

Well, if anyone goes on the critical list, let me know. (Charade; writing credit: Peter Stone; Marc Behm)

There is one critical item of information that has never been incorporated into the memory banks of any Earth ship. (Star Trek; writing credit: Walter Black; William Hamilton)

On the Critical Path (1971)

Hapax Legomena III: Critical Mass (1971)

Critical Look at the New Left From Protest to Resistance (1968)

The Critical Point (1957)

Critical Rescue (2003)

Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

References

• Mission Critical Software, Inc.: International Competitive Benchmarks and Financial Gap Analysis (reference)

• Critical Path Incorporated: International Competitive Benchmarks and Financial Gap Analysis (reference)

  (more reference examples)

Books

• Create Your Own Future: How to Master the 12 Critical Factors of Unlimited Success (reference)

• The Art and Science of Competency Models: Pinpointing Critical Success Factors in Organizations (reference)

• Text and Tablet (Ashgate New Critical Thinking in Theology & Biblical Studies) (reference)

• The Choctaws: A Critical Bibliography (reference)

• Kate Chopin's Short Fiction: A Critical Companion (reference)

  (more book examples)

Periodicals

• Aceps Critical Decisions In Emergency Medicine (reference)

• Critical Care (reference)

• Critical Care Alert (reference)

• Critical Care Clinics (reference)

• Critical Care Medicine (reference)

  (more periodical examples)

Theater & Movies

• King of the Cage - Critical Mass (reference)

• Critical Choices (reference)

• Situation Critical - The U.S.S. Forrestal (reference)

  (more DVD examples; more video examples)

Music

• Critical Mass (reference)

• Critical Mass [LIMITED EDITION] (reference)

• Critical Path (reference)

  (more classical music examples; more popular music examples)

High Tech

• Critical Depth (reference)

• Zero Critical (reference)

  (more camera examples; more video game examples; more computer examples; more electronic examples; more software examples)

Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

DNA microarray technology is a powerful new research tool that allows scientists to assess the level of expression of a large subset of the 100,000 human genes in a cell or tissue. This technology can quickly produce a snapshot of the genes that are active in a tumor cell, critical information in narrowing the precise molecular causes of a cancer. Two different images available. First is of female lab technician sitting at computer that displays a microarray. The second is a man at same setting. Credit: Bill Branson.

A technique called in situ hybridization shows whether a gene is actively expressed in cells, and also provides clues to the gene's function. This technique has helped identify activated oncogenes in cancer cells, and their normal counterparts in normal cells, in many different species. In this photograph, a labeled DNA segment (a known oncogene) has been put into a mouse oocyte, a cell that develops into a mature egg cell. The labeled DNA has paired with (or hybridized to) multiple copies of RNA in the mouse oocyte. The presence of this RNA (shown here as black dots inside the nucleus of the immature cell) shows that the normal cellular counterpart of the oncogene is active, suggesting that it is critical for normal germ cell development. Expression of genes is manifested by the production of RNA transcripts within cells. Hybridization histochemistry (in situ hybridization) permits localization of these transcripts with cellular or greater resolution. Furthermore, the relative amounts of transcripts detected within different tissues or the same tissues under different states (e.g., physiological or developmental) may be quantified. See artwork: GA-17. Credit: Unknown photographer/artist.

The Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) is the country's critical epidemiology training service, combating the causes of major epidemics. Over the past 50 years, EIS officers have played pivotal roles in combating the root causes of major epidemics. Credit: CDC.

EIS is the country's critical epidemiology training service, combating the causes of major epidemics. Over the past 50 years, EIS officers have played pivotal roles in combating the root causes of major epidemics. Credit: CDC.

Seagrass extending offshore from mangrove shoreline Seagrass is critical habitat for shrimps, crabs, and small fish. Credit: America's Coastlines.

Natural marsh area primarily Spartina. Critical habitat for shrimp, crabs, and many game and commercial fish species. Credit: America's Coastlines.

A tray of eelgrass turf and plugs ready for transplant. Eelgrass, Zostera marina contributes substantially to the health of coastal ecosystems. Eelgrass meadows provide shelter and spawning habitat for fish and shellfish and the living blades or leaves provide food for waterfowl like brant and Canada Geese. And eelgrass is a critical element of the Bay's detrital food web. Credit: NOAA Restoration Center.

Zostera marina, eelgrass, about to be transplanted. These plants were harvested from Damerion Marsh by the mouth of the Great Wicomico River. Submerged aquatic vegetation is a critical habitat that stabilizes sediments, oxygenates water and provides habitat. Historically the Chesapeake Bay had over 600,000 acres of SAV, now there is approximately 69,000 acres. Credit: NOAA Restoration Center.

Kelp beds are extremely complex and critical marine habitats. Wise management of both kelp beds and the animals that depend on them is key to the future of our marine ecosystem. Credit: National Undersea Research Program (NURP).

Mangroves roots serve as critical habitat for many species and nutrient filters. Credit: National Undersea Research Program (NURP).

Source: pictures compiled by the editor from various references; see picture credits.

Source: compiled by the editor from various references.

But these Socialist and Communist publications contain also a critical element. (reference)

The British have an alliance with Portugal unbroken since 1384, and which produced fruitful results at critical moments in the late war. ("Iron Curtain" Speech)

Source: compiled by the editor from various references.

By a most fortunate chance his leaving Highbury had been delayed so as to bring him to her assistance at this critical moment.

I tried hard to assume a critical tone.

The moment was critical.

Every man is tasked to make his life, even in its details, worthy of the contemplation of his most elevated and critical hour.

Source: compiled by the editor from various references.

Health

This is a critical research question. (references)

This charge has two critical components. (references)

An outbreak ends when the critical exposure stops. (references)

Business

Building trust is a critical subject. (references)

Personal relationships in business are critical. (references)

Honoring delivery dates is of critical importance. (references)

Civil Liberties

United Kingdom

Viewpoints critical of the Government are well represented. (references)

Malaysia

Academics sometimes are publicly critical of the Government. (references)

Haiti

Both daily newspapers are frequently critical of government policies. (references)

Economic History

Sri Lanka

Youth unemployment remains a critical problem. (references)

Georgia

Georgia's electrical energy sector is in critical condition. (references)

China

Relationships: Personal relationships in business are critical. (references)

Human Rights

Haiti

Opposition groups also were critical and cited fear that they could be targeted by police. (references)

Zambia

Courts continued to act independently and at times made statements critical of the Government. (references)

Jamaica

The country faces a critical crime situation with a homicide rate exceeding 40 per 100,000 persons. (references)

Indigenous People

Bangladesh

The Land Commission that is to deal with land disputes between tribals and Bengali settlers does not yet function effectively in addressing critical land disputes. (references)

Peru

Both AIDESEP and CONAP are critical of the 1995 land law, which permits Amazonian land to be bought and sold if no one is living on it or otherwise making use of it. Sendero Luminoso continued to be a leading violator of the rights of indigenous people. (references)

Minorities

France

Panda claimed that critical statements by government officials in press articles that linked the product to Scientology have caused a significant loss of business. (references)

Political Economy

Azerbaijan

A lively, critical opposition exists. (references)

Georgia

Georgia is at a critical moment in its history. (references)

Papua New Guinea

Crime, especially in urban areas, is a critical problem. (references)

Political Rights

Yemen

Parliamentarians at times are sharply critical during these sessions. (references)

Zimbabwe

The NCA openly was critical of the CC, asserting that it was a government-controlled entity whose product would not reflect the will of the populace. (references)

Tunisia

Debate within the Chamber is often lively and government ministers are summoned to respond to deputies' questions, although heated exchanges critical of government policy are not reported fully in the press. (references)

Trade

Japan

Correct packing, marking, and labeling are critical to smooth customs clearance in Japan. (references)

Armenia

Corporate resources: a majority of Armenian companies are experiencing a critical shortage of funds. (references)

Switzerland

Swiss Cartels: Cartels in Switzerland used to be the subject of critical comments at regular intervals by the OECD. (references)

Travel

Tanzania

Housing: There are critical shortages of housing in all urban centers of Tanzania. (references)

Cote D'ivoire

Crime in Abidjan has increased over the past several years, and remains at a critical level. (references)

Kenya

Severe storms and heavy rains in late 1997 and early 1998 led to extensive flooding and critical damage to roads and bridges, making travel and communications difficult in many parts of the country. (references)

Women

Botswana

The plan identifies six critical areas of concern, prioritized as follows: (1) women and poverty, (2) women and powersharing and decisionmaking, (3) education and training of women, (4) women and health, (5) the girl child, and (6) violence against women. (references)

Guatemala

In January Dr. Lily Caravantes, Presidential Secretary for Women, presented to the President an extremely ambitious National Policy for the Promotion and Development of Guatemalan Women and Plan for Equal Opportunity 2001-2006. Based on the recognition that 70 percent of women live in poverty, the strategic plan identified and prioritized areas of critical importance for women, ranging from access to health care and education, to protection from domestic violence. (references)

Worker Rights

Suriname

The union exempted nurses in critical departments, such as intensive care, from the action. (references)

Source: compiled by the editor from ICON Group International, Inc.; see credits.

Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

Source: compiled by the editor from various references.

Expressions using "critical": CPS critical path analysis ♦ critical altitude ♦ critical analysis ♦ critical angle ♦ critical appraisal ♦ critical area ♦ critical burning period ♦ Critical Care ♦ critical care medicine ♦ critical chain reacting mass ♦ critical dose ♦ critical engine ♦ critical equation ♦ critical essay ♦ critical field ♦ critical flicker frequency ♦ critical flicker fusion ♦ critical flow ♦ critical flow prover ♦ critical grain growth ♦ critical head ♦ critical heat flux ♦ Critical Illness ♦ critical incident technique ♦ critical item ♦ critical load ♦ critical mass ♦ critical nucleate boiling heat flux ♦ critical path method ♦ critical path scheduling ♦ Critical Pathways ♦ Critical Period (Psychology) ♦ critical phase ♦ critical philosophy ♦ critical place first ♦ critical point ♦ critical position ♦ critical quantity ♦ critical review ♦ critical Reynolds number ♦ critical section ♦ critical situation ♦ critical size ♦ critical speed ♦ critical stage ♦ critical storm period ♦ critical supplies and materiel ♦ critical temperature ♦ critical thickness ♦ critical torsional speeds ♦ critical view ♦ critical whirling speeds ♦ have a critical look at ♦ in critical condition ♦ lower critical field ♦ praxis Critical Systems ♦ upper critical field. Additional references.

Beginning with "critical": critical-dissuasive, critical-mass, critical-path, critical-point, critical-success, critical-success-factor, critical-theoretical.

Ending with "critical": business-critical, literary-critical, mission-critical, non-critical, over-critical, safety-critical, self-critical.

Containing "critical": safety-critical system.

Albanian

vendimtar (conclusive, crucial, decisive, determinant, determinative, winning), kritik (animadversion, climacteric, critic, crucial, judicial), i rrezikshëm (breakneck, dangerous, endangering, forbidding, hairy, hazardous, high risk, malign, nasty, parlous, perilous, pestilent, risky, risque, touch and go, unchancy, unsafe). (various references)

Arabic 

‏نزاع إلى الانتقاد, ‏حساس (compassionate, emotional, feeling, fine, hypersensitive, impressionable, maudlin, responsive, sensational, sensible, sensitive, sentient, sentiment, sentimental, susceptible, sympathetic, temperamental, tender, tender-hearted, ticklish), ‏حاسم (absolute, categorical, conclusive, crucial, decided, decisive, definite, definitive, determinate, fateful, final, high, peremptory, pivotal, unqualified), ‏حرج (awkwardness, climacteric, difficulty, discomfiture, fix, forest, high, stringent, ticklish), ‏عصيب (acute, crucial), ‏خطير (acute, dangerous, eventful, grave, grievous, hazardous, heavy, important, irresistible, momentous, redoubtable, risky, risque, serious, severe, significant, ticklish, unsafe, weighty), ‏خطر (adventurous, advise, awkward, challenge, come, danger, dangerous, embargo, fear, give smb. notice, hazard, importance, jeopardy, parlous, peril, perilous, poisonous, prohibition, proscription, risk, risky, unhealthy), ‏إنتقادي, ‏بارع في النقد. (various references)

Bulgarian 

критически (crucial), критичен (acerb, acerbic, censorious, climacteric, judicial, touch and go, volatile). (various references)

Chinese 

重要 (important, nontrivial, VITAL), 緊張 (intense, nervous, strained, tense, tension), 嚴重 (grave, serious, severe), 沉重 (hard, heavy, serious), 危急 (desperate). (various references)

Czech

rozhodující (chief, commanding, crucial, decisive, determinative, fatal, main, predominant, supreme, vital, winning), krizový, kritický (acute, crucial, discerning, discriminating). (various references)

Danish

kritisk bedømmelse (critical observation), kritisk. (various references)

Dutch

kritiek (criticism). (various references)

Esperanto

kriza. (various references)

Farsi 

نکوهشی , وخیم (Crucial, Dire, Fatal, Serious, Tense), انتقادی , بحرانی (Acute, Climacteric). (various references)

Finnish

kriittinen. (various references)

French

critique (critic, criticalness, critique, crucial). (various references)

German

kritisch (censorious, censoriously, critically, crucial, discerningly, discriminating, judicial, make or break, selective, trying), bedenklich (alarming, anxious, apprehensive, disturbing, dubious, grave, questionable, scrupulous, serious). (various references)

Greek 

κριτικόσ (critic, judicial), κρίσιμοσ (climacteric, climactic, climactical, crucial), κρίσιμος (crucial), επικριτικόσ (carping, censorious, damnatory). (various references)

Hebrew 

מכריע (amphibrach, arbitrator, conclusive, crucial, decisive, definitive, overwhelming, pivotal), קריטי, חמור (ass, austere, burro, donkey, drastic, grave, jackass, moke, serious, severe, stern, strict, stringent), �'ורלי (crucial, fateful), בקרתי (carping, deprecatory, pedantic, unfavorable), בקר� י. (various references)

Hungarian

válságos (crucial), kritikai. (various references)

Indonesian

genting (frayed, narrow, precarious, tense), gawat (dangerous, grave, serious), akut (acute). (various references)

Italian

critico (climacteric, critic, crucial, judge, reviewer). (various references)

Japanese Kanji 

危うい (close, dangerous, grave, limping, narrow, uncertain, unreliable, watch out!). (various references)

Japanese Katakana 

くちさがない (abusive, gossipy, jabbering), ひは�"てき, り�"かい (coastal, seaside), あぶなっかしい (close, dangerous, grave, limping, narrow, uncertain, unreliable, watch out), あぶない (close, dangerous, grave, limping, narrow, uncertain, unreliable, watch out!), あやうい (close, dangerous, grave, limping, narrow, uncertain, unreliable, watch out!), クリティカル . (various references)

Korean 

긴�"한. (various references)

Manx

foiljeydagh, criticoil, cremeydagh. (various references)

Pig Latin

iticalcray

Portuguese

crítico (argumentative, assailant, climacteric, critic, crucial, reviewer, serious), crítica (accusation, animadversion, comment, crab, review, squib). (various references)

Portuguese Brazilian

crítica. (various references)

Romanian

culminant (climactic, culminant, culminating, highest), critic (censorious, climacteric, critic, critically, crucial, decisive, delicate, judge, supreme, ticklish), grav (austere, bad, badly, grave, gravely, grievously, important, low, low-pitched, matronal, serious, solemn, stern, weighty), decisiv (conclusive, crucial, decisive, definitive, determinant, determinative, fateful, final, ultimate, winning). (various references)

Russian 

критический (crucial). (various references)

Serbo-Croatian

kritičan. (various references)

Spanish

crítico (alarming, censor, censorious, critic, grave, knocker, reviewer, serious, vital). (various references)

Swedish

kritisk (crucial, head, touch and go, vital). (various references)

Turkish

ciddi (austere, businesslike, capital, demure, devout, earnest, eventful, forbidding, grave, gut, important, momentous, mortally, sedate, serious, sober, sober minded, solemn, staid, starched, unsmiling), titiz (careful, choosy, cleanly, dainty, demanding, difficult, exact, exacting, exigent, fastidious, finical, finicking, finicky, fussy, hypercritical, jealous, jealous of, meticulous, niggling, niminy-piminy, particular, peevish, pernickety, picky, rigorous, scrupulous, squeamish, touchy), kritik (climacteric, crucial, review, supreme, tight), hassas (brittle, climacteric, delicate, emotional, exquisite, fair, feeling, fine, impressible, impressionable, nice, passibile, precision, queasy, quick, raw, responsive, rose water, sensible, sensitive, slippery, sore, spoony, squeamish, susceptible, susceptive, tender, thin-skinned, ticklish, tickly, touchy), eleştirici (argumentative, assailant, assailer, censorious, critic, faultfinder, faultfinding, judicial, reviewer, uncomplimentary). (various references)

Turkmen 

tankydy. (various references)

Ukrainian

ризикований (adventurous, chanceful, chancy, hazardous, naughty, off color, off colour, perilous, precarious, risky, risque, touch and go, touchy, venturesome, wildcat), критичний (climacteric, crucial, satiric), граничний (outside, supreme, very), вирішальний (all in all, conclusive, crucial, decisive, determinant, determinative, fateful, final, winning), осудливий (deprecative), небезпечний (adventurous, awkward, breakneck, chanceful, climacteric, dangerous, harmful, hazardous, insecure, nasty, parlous, perilous, redoubtable, redoubted, serious, thorny, uncanny, unsafe, virulent, wicked), максимальний (absolute, maximal, maximum), переломний. (various references)

Vietnamese 

phê phán hay chỉ trích, phê bình (censorious, task), nguy ngập (anxious, dangerous, trying), khó chiều nguy cấp, hay chê bai; có ý kiến chống lại; khó tính. (various references)

Welsh

beirniadol. (various references)

arta, artis, arto, artum, artus, dubiae, dubio, dubium, necessaria, necessariae, necessarias, necessarii, necessariis, necessariora, necessarios, necessarium, necessarius. (various references)

Derivations

Words beginning with "critical": criticalities, criticality, critically, criticalness, criticalnesses. (additional references)

Words ending with "critical": diacritical, hypercritical, hypocritical, noncritical, overcritical, precritical, subcritical, supercritical, ultracritical, uncritical. (additional references)

Words containing "critical": hypercritically, hypocritically, uncritically. (additional references)

Misspellings

"Critical" is suggested in spellcheckers for the following: acritical, clitical, cridical, crinical, critcal, critia, critial, Critica, criticall, criticaly, criticcal, critici, criticial, criticle, crutial, Kritikon, retical, triticaily, tritici. (additional references)

Source: compiled by the editor (additional references); see credits.

Scrabble® Enable2K-Verified Anagrams

-2 letters: arctic, citral, citric, clitic, critic, iatric, italic, lactic, rictal.

-3 letters: cacti, cilia, circa, ictic, iliac, licit, litai, tical, trail, triac, trial.

-4 letters: airt, alit, aril, carl, cart, clit, ilia, laic, lair, lari, lati, liar, lira, liri, rail, rial, tail, talc, tali, tirl.

-5 letters: act, ail, air, ait, alt, arc, art, car, cat, lac, lar.

+1 letter: circuital.

+2 letters: critically, uncritical.

+3 letters: cicatricial, circinately, circularity, circulating, circulation, circulative, clericalist, climacteric, conciliator, criticality, diacritical, electrician, farcicality, impractical, noncritical, precritical, racialistic, subcritical.

+4 letters: acclimatizer, anticlerical, articulacies, bactericidal, calorimetric, centralistic, circulations, clavieristic, clericalists, climacterics, conciliators, conciliatory, criticalness, criticizable, electricians, epicuticular, exorcistical, hypocritical, inarticulacy, intervocalic, microclimate, overcritical, practicality, secularistic, timocratical, tragicomical, uncritically.

+5 letters: acclimatizers, anticlericals, bacteriologic, bacteriolytic, bioelectrical, circularities, clarification, clavichordist, cliometrician, commercialist, commerciality, contractility, criticalities, farcicalities, hypercritical, impracticable, impracticably, impractically, intercortical, intergalactic, intragalactic, microanalytic, microclimates, microclimatic, microparticle, reacclimatize, recirculating, recirculation, supercritical, tricarboxylic, ultracritical.