| 1. |
(adjective) marked by a tendency to find and call attention to errors and flaws; "a critical attitude" |
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Antonyms: uncritical |
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| 2. |
(adjective) characterized by careful evaluation and judgment; "a critical reading"; "a critical dissertation"; "a critical analysis of Melville's writings |
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Antonyms: uncritical |
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| 3. |
(adjective) 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" |
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Antonyms: noncritical |
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| 4. |
(adjective) (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" |
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Antonyms: noncritical |
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| 5. |
(satellite adjective) forming or having the nature of a turning point or crisis; "a critical point in the campaign"; "the critical test" |
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Synonyms: decisive |
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| 6. |
(satellite adjective) urgently needed; absolutely necessary; "a critical element of the plan"; "critical medical supplies"; "vital for a healthy society"; "foods indispensable to good nutrition" |
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Synonyms: vital |
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| 7. |
(adjective) of or involving or characteristic of critics or criticism; "critical acclaim" |
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