Definitions:

1. at or of a point at which a property or phenomenon suffers an abrupt change especially having enough mass to sustain a chain reaction adjective
   • a critical temperature of water is 100 degrees Cits boiling point at standard atmospheric pressure
2. being in or verging on a state of crisis or emergency adjective
   • a critical shortage of food
3. characterized by careful evaluation and judgment adjective
   • a critical reading
4. forming or having the nature of a turning point or crisis adjective
   • a critical point in the campaign
5. marked by a tendency to find and call attention to errors and flaws adjective
   • a critical attitude
6. of or involving or characteristic of critics or criticism adjective
   • critical acclaim

Synonyms:

• decisive
• vital

NearBy Words:

• criticality
• critically
• criticalness