critical

adjective

ˈkri-ti-kəl How to pronounce critical (audio)
Definition of criticalnext
1
as in particular
given to making or expressing unfavorable judgments about things adults tend to be critical of teenagers' taste in music and movies

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in urgent
needing immediate attention this problem isn't critical, so we can go home now and tend to it in the morning

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in crucial
of the greatest possible importance this is the critical exam that will largely determine your college career

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4
as in essential
impossible to do without critical information for an informed medical diagnosis

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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critical thinking
logical thinking
strategic thinking
crucial thinking
rational thinking
analytical thinking
a critical point
a crucial point
a vital point
a climactic point
an analytical point
a climatic point
critical importance
crucial importance
major importance
significant importance
essential importance
extreme importance
a critical review
a skeptical review
a careful review
a cynical review
a negative review
an analytical review
a critical period
an important period
a significant period
a definitive period
an essential period
a pivotal period

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective critical contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of critical are captious, carping, censorious, faultfinding, and hypercritical. While all these words mean "inclined to look for and point out faults and defects," critical may also imply an effort to see a thing clearly and truly in order to judge it fairly.

a critical essay

When might captious be a better fit than critical?

While the synonyms captious and critical are close in meaning, captious suggests a readiness to detect trivial faults or raise objections on trivial grounds.

a captious critic

Where would carping be a reasonable alternative to critical?

The synonyms carping and critical are sometimes interchangeable, but carping implies an ill-natured or perverse picking of flaws.

a carping editorial

When could censorious be used to replace critical?

The words censorious and critical can be used in similar contexts, but censorious implies a disposition to be severely critical and condemnatory.

the censorious tone of the review

When can faultfinding be used instead of critical?

Although the words faultfinding and critical have much in common, faultfinding implies a querulous or exacting temperament.

a faultfinding reviewer

When is it sensible to use hypercritical instead of critical?

The words hypercritical and critical are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, hypercritical suggests a tendency to judge by unreasonably strict standards.

hypercritical disparagement of other people's work

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of critical The European Union’s response could be critical in shaping the economic impact of the tariff conflict, Colijn explained. —Sophie Kiderlin, CNBC, 1 Apr. 2025 Washington demanded that countries steer away from China without offering any meaningful economic or political alternatives, essentially asking them to forgo billions of dollars’ worth of critical investments and strategic partnerships while receiving nothing in return. —Matias Spektor, Foreign Affairs, 1 Apr. 2025 At the Smithsonian American Art Museum, there are still works critical of American history—including a wonderful Kay WalkingStick painting that overlays the Rio Grande with patterns derived from Pueblo pots, asserting an Indigenous presence in a land sometimes denied to Native people. —Alex Greenberger, ARTnews.com, 1 Apr. 2025 For leaders this serves as a critical warning: the relentless pursuit of productivity without regard for the multifaceted nature of human identity can lead to a workforce that is disengaged, unfulfilled and ultimately less innovative. —Benjamin Laker, Forbes, 21 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for critical
Recent Examples of Synonyms for critical
  1. particular
  2. urgent
  3. crucial
  4. essential
  5. demanding
  6. acute
  7. key
  8. necessary
Adjective
  • The final contestants from Group C — Nessy, Mad Scientist Monster, and Yorkie — did not follow that particular decades trend, opting to jump around more in time instead.
    — Lauren Huff, EW.com, 10 Apr. 2025
  • Javadi, in particular, seems unsure whether this experience has discouraged her from pursuing a career in emergency medicine.
    — Ryan Schwartz, TVLine, 10 Apr. 2025
Definition of particular
Adjective
  • In the nineteen-sixties and seventies, the Vietnam War was a matter of urgent concern in politics and scholarship alike.
    — Nikil Saval, New Yorker, 7 Apr. 2025
  • The Seahawks have an urgent need along the interior offensive line, and Schneider has spent most of the offseason acknowledging that issue — and explaining his reasoning for the lack of big-time moves.
    — Michael-Shawn Dugar, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2025
Definition of urgent
Adjective
  • According to sleep experts at Bed Kingdom, a comfortable sleep environment is crucial for quality sleep.
    — Ali Pantony, Glamour, 4 Apr. 2025
  • The Key To Talking About Tariffs is Transparency During any business disruption or crisis, transparent communication is crucial for maintaining customer trust.
    — Dan Gingiss, Forbes.com, 4 Apr. 2025
Definition of crucial
Adjective
  • Forbes Daily: Join over 1 million Forbes Daily subscribers and get our best stories, exclusive reporting and essential analysis of the day’s news in your inbox every weekday.
    — Larry Fleisher, Forbes.com, 10 Apr. 2025
  • Since 2014, the ACL Hall of Fame has honored artists who have played an essential role in the series’ half-century as a premier supporter of top-shelf music.
    — Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 10 Apr. 2025
Definition of essential
Adjective
  • Scene-stealing comedic parts in the Pitch Perfect franchise and on series like Modern Family led to more physically demanding opportunities in series like The Righteous Gemstones.
    — Ryan Coleman, EW.com, 3 Apr. 2025
  • Here’s a brief comparison between top programs in the United States and the United Kingdom: • U.S. Programs (e.g., Wharton, Kellogg): These are typically two years long with frequent in-person sessions; these programs offer an immersive but demanding experience.
    — Shai Zamanian, Forbes.com, 3 Apr. 2025
Definition of demanding
Adjective
  • In some instances, yes, according to one study which looked at the recommendations from a chatbot compared to those of doctors assessing acute respiratory, urinary, vaginal, eye or dental symptoms.
    — Danielle Chemtob, Forbes.com, 7 Apr. 2025
  • Researchers from Dartmouth College built the bot as a way of taking a new approach to a longstanding problem: The U.S. continues to grapple with an acute shortage of mental health providers.
    — Katia Riddle, NPR, 7 Apr. 2025
Definition of acute
Adjective
  • One of the key creative minds behind Mighty Morphin Power Rangers is owning up to a pair of casting choices widely decried as racially insensitive.
    — Ryan Coleman, EW.com, 8 Apr. 2025
  • More than 100 cases that challenge key aspects of his agenda have been filed across the country, and disputes challenging at least six of the president's actions have so far reached the Supreme Court, which has a 6-3 conservative majority.
    — Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 7 Apr. 2025
Definition of key
Adjective
  • However, project critics said that the bill was necessary to protect public funds from being misused in the project.
    — Josh Hammer, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Apr. 2025
  • Now that the pandemic is over, the grants and cooperative agreements are no longer necessary as their limited purpose has run out.
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 1 Apr. 2025
Definition of necessary

Browse Nearby Words

critic
critical
critically
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Cite this Entry

“Critical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/critical. Accessed 15 Apr. 2025.

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