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1. Dictionary

   critical

   /ˈkrɪtɪkl/

   adjective

   • 1. expressing adverse or disapproving comments or judgements: "I was very critical of the previous regime" Similar censoriouscondemnatorycondemningcastigatoryreprovingdenunciatorydeprecatorydisparagingdisapprovingscathingcriticizingfault-findingjudgementalnegativeunfavourableunsympathetichypercriticalultra-criticalovercriticalpedanticpettifoggingcavillingcarpingquibblingnigglingpass-remarkableinformal:nitpickinghair-splittingpickygripingbitchingbellyachingwhingeingpernicketypersnicketyrare:reprobatoryreprobativeOpposite complimentary
   • 2. expressing or involving an analysis of the merits and faults of a work of literature, music, or art: "she never won the critical acclaim she sought" Similar evaluativeanalyticanalyticalinterpretativeexpositorycommentativeexplanatoryexplicativeelucidative
   • ▪ (of a text) incorporating a detailed and scholarly analysis and commentary: "a critical edition of a Bach sonata"
   • ▪ involving the objective analysis and evaluation of an issue in order to form a judgement: "professors often find it difficult to encourage critical thinking amongst their students"
   • 3. (of a situation or problem) having the potential to become disastrous; at a point of crisis: "the floodwaters had not receded and the situation was still critical" Similar graveseriousdangerousriskyperiloushazardousprecarioustouch-and-goin the balanceuncertaindesperatedireacutevery badlife-and-deathlife-threateninginformal:chancydiceyhairyiffydodgyarchaic, humorous:parlousperacuteprofoundrare:egregiousOpposite safe
   • ▪ extremely ill and at risk of death: "she was critical but stable in Middlesbrough General Hospital"
   • ▪ having a decisive or crucial importance in the success, failure, or existence of something: "temperature is a critical factor in successful fruit storage" Similar crucialvitalessentialof the essenceall-importantimportantof the utmost importanceof great consequencehigh-priorityparamountpre-eminentfundamentalkeypivotaldecidingdecisiveclimactericmomentousseriousurgentpressingcompellingexigentOpposite unimportant
   • 4. relating to or denoting a point of transition from one state to another: "if the density is less than a certain critical value the gravitational attraction will be too weak to halt the expansion"
   • 5. (of a nuclear reactor or fuel) maintaining a self-sustaining chain reaction: "the reactor is due to go critical in October"

   Word Origin mid 16th century (in the sense ‘relating to the crisis of a disease’): from late Latin criticus (see critic).

   Derivatives

   • 1. criticalness noun

   Scrabble Points: 12

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2. www.merriam-webster.com › thesaurus › criticalCRITICAL Synonyms: 130 Similar and Opposite Words -...

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   Find 130 similar and opposite words for critical, an adjective that can mean unfavorable, urgent, crucial, essential, or important. Learn how to use critical and its synonyms in different contexts and see examples and related articles.

   • Some common synonyms of critical are captious, carping, censorious, faultfinding, and hypercritical. While all these words mean "inclined to look f...
   • While the synonyms captious and critical are close in meaning, captious suggests a readiness to detect trivial faults or raise objections on trivia...
   • The synonyms carping and critical are sometimes interchangeable, but carping implies an ill-natured or perverse picking of flaws. // a carping edit...
   • The words censorious and critical can be used in similar contexts, but censorious implies a disposition to be severely critical and condemnatory. /...
   • Although the words faultfinding and critical have much in common, faultfinding implies a querulous or exacting temperament. // a faultfinding reviewer
   • The words hypercritical and critical are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, hypercritical suggests a tendency to judge by unreasonabl...

3. dictionary.cambridge.org › us › thesaurusCRITICAL - 50 Synonyms and Antonyms - Cambridge English

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   Find 50 words and phrases that mean critical, such as faultfinding, disapproving, or decisive. Also, see the opposite words, such as complimentary, laudatory, or secure.

4. www.wordhippo.com › what-is › another-word-forWhat is another word for critical? | Critical Synonyms -...

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   Find synonyms for critical in different contexts, such as negative comments, analysis, examination, crisis, importance, etc. Browse a list of similar words from our thesaurus that you can use instead of critical.

5. www.collinsdictionary.com › english-thesaurus › criticalCRITICAL Synonyms | Collins English Thesaurus

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   Find different meanings and synonyms of critical in British and American English, such as crucial, disparaging, analytical, acute, and captious. See examples, definitions, and opposites for each sense of critical.

6. www.powerthesaurus.org › criticalCRITICAL in Thesaurus: 1000+ Synonyms & Antonyms for CRITICAL

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   Find over 1000 words that mean the same or the opposite of CRITICAL, such as crucial, vital, important, serious, or disparaging, censorious, dangerous. See examples of how to use CRITICAL in a sentence and its definition.

7. www.wordreference.com › synonyms › criticalcritical - WordReference.com English Thesaurus

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8. www.powerthesaurus.org › critical › synonymsCritical synonyms - 2 804 Words and Phrases for Critical - Power...

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   Find 2 736 words and phrases for critical, such as crucial, important, serious, harsh, and fastidious. Browse synonyms for critical in different contexts, such as adjectives, nouns, and adverbs.