crit ‧ i ‧ cal S3 W2 /ˈkrɪtɪk ə l/ BrE AmE adjective
[ Word Family: noun : ↑ critic , ↑ criticism ; verb : ↑ criticize ; adverb : ↑ critically ≠ ↑ uncritically ; adjective : ↑ critical ≠ ↑ uncritical ]
1 . CRITICIZING if you are critical, you criticize someone or something
critical of
Many economists are critical of the government’s economic policies.
Many parents are strongly critical of the school.
He made some highly critical remarks.
2 . IMPORTANT something that is critical is very important because what happens in the future depends on it SYN crucial
critical to
These talks are critical to the future of the peace process.
It is absolutely critical for us to know the truth.
Foreign trade is of critical importance to the economy.
3 . SERIOUS/WORRYING a critical time or situation is serious and worrying because things might suddenly become much worse:
The fighting has stopped, but the situation is still critical.
changes that took place during the critical period at the end of the war
4 . ILL so ill that you might die:
He is still in a critical condition in hospital.
She is in intensive care, where she remains critical but stable.
5 . the critical list
a) the list of patients in a hospital who are so ill that they might die
on the critical list
Two of the victims were still on the critical list Sunday night.
take somebody off the critical list
He was taken off the critical list and is now in a stable condition.
b) if a system, plan, company etc is on the critical list, it is having severe problems and might fail soon
6 . MAKING JUDGMENTS making careful judgments about how good or bad something is:
His book provides a critical analysis of the television industry in Britain.
She looked round the room with a critical eye.
7 . ART/LITERATURE according to critics who give judgments about art, films, theatre, and books:
The book came out last year to great critical acclaim (=critics said it was very good) .
Her first play was a critical success (=critics said it was good) .
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THESAURUS
■ very bad
▪ serious very bad – used about problems, accidents, illnesses, or crimes:
Violent crime is a serious problem in and around the capital.
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The boy was taken to hospital with serious head injuries.
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Fortunately, the damage to the car was not serious.
▪ severe very serious – used about problems, injuries, and illnesses:
He suffered severe injuries in a car crash.
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The problem became so severe that they had to bring water in from other countries.
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severe epilepsy
▪ grave used about a situation that is very serious and worrying, especially because it is dangerous or seems likely to get worse:
A thick fog descended and I knew that we were in grave danger.
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The situation is grave – war now seems inevitable.
▪ acute used about an illness, problem, or situation that has become very serious or dangerous, and needs to be dealt with quickly:
She was taken to the hospital suffering from acute appendicitis.
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In San Diego, the shortage of skilled workers is acute.
▪ desperate used about a situation or problem that is very serious or dangerous, especially because a lot of people need urgent help:
The situation is desperate – people here need aid before the harsh winter sets in.
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The hospital is full of people in desperate need of medical attention.
▪ critical used about a situation that is very serious and dangerous and might get worse suddenly:
In 1991, the food supply situation became critical.
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Eight people were killed and four are still in a critical condition.
▪ life-threatening used about a situation, illness, or condition in which someone could die:
Her child had a potentially life-threatening illness.
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The situation was not life-threatening, but it was very worrying.
▪ be a matter of life and death spoken to be extremely serious – used when a situation is very urgent or important:
For people living with HIV, getting the right treatment is literally a matter of life and death.