kriti
C1Formal, semi-formal, academic, technical
Definition
Meaning
Of the greatest importance; expressing adverse or disapproving judgment.
Relating to or being a turning point; involving careful analysis and judgment; being at a point of crisis; of or relating to critics or criticism; (in science) reaching a point of change.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The word has two primary semantic clusters: 1) expressing disapproval or finding fault, and 2) of crucial importance. The 'crucial importance' sense is often used in technical, scientific, and business contexts. Care is needed to distinguish which sense is intended.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minimal semantic difference. Spelling is identical. The 'crucial' sense is slightly more prevalent in American business/academic jargon.
Connotations
In both varieties, the 'disapproving' sense is more common in everyday speech, while the 'crucial' sense dominates formal/professional contexts.
Frequency
Very high frequency in both varieties across all registers.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
be critical of [sb/sth] (adj + prep)play a critical role in [sth] (verb + adj + noun + prep)it is critical that [clause] (dummy 'it' + be + adj + that)reach a critical point (verb + adj + noun)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “critical mass”
- “in critical condition”
- “a critical eye”
- “pass critical judgment”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Describing essential factors for success: 'Customer feedback is critical for product development.'
Academic
Referring to analytical evaluation: 'The essay requires a critical examination of the sources.'
Everyday
Expressing disapproval or importance: 'She was very critical of the new plan.' / 'It's critical you arrive on time.'
Technical
Denoting a point of phase change or instability: 'The reactor reached its critical temperature.'
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
adverb
British English
- critically
American English
- critically
adjective
British English
- The report was critical of the government's spending.
- This is a critical component of the engine.
American English
- She offered a critical review of the novel.
- Time is of critical importance here.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The teacher was not critical. She was very nice.
- It is critical to look both ways before crossing.
- He is often critical of his colleagues' ideas.
- Good communication is critical for a successful team.
- The journalist wrote a critical piece analysing the new policy's flaws.
- The patient remains in a critical but stable condition in hospital.
- The study provides a critical appraisal of the prevailing economic theories.
- The treaty negotiations have reached a critical phase.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a CRITIC giving a bad review (disapproving) about a CRUCIAL scene in a film (of great importance). Both ideas live in 'CRITICAL'.
Conceptual Metaphor
IMPORTANCE IS BEING ON AN EDGE/AT A TURNING POINT (critical juncture, critical point). JUDGMENT IS DISSECTION (critical analysis).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid translating as 'критичный' in the sense of 'risky' or 'dangerous' (use 'рискованный').
- The Russian 'критический' covers both senses, but in English, the 'disapproving' sense is more personal ('critical of'), while the 'crucial' sense is more situational ('critical to').
Common Mistakes
- Using 'critical' to mean 'urgent' in all contexts (e.g., 'a critical call' is ambiguous).
- Confusing 'critical' (adj) with 'critique' (n) or 'criticise/criticize' (v).
- Overusing the word in formal writing where 'important' or 'key' would suffice.
Practice
Quiz
In which sentence does 'critical' mean 'expressing disapproval'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. While it often means 'finding fault,' it also has a neutral/positive meaning of 'extremely important' (critical acclaim, critical role) and a neutral technical meaning (critical point).
They are largely synonymous in the 'extremely important' sense. 'Critical' often implies a turning point or decisive moment. 'Crucial' suggests a test or final decision. 'Vital' emphasizes indispensability for life or function. In many contexts, they are interchangeable.
Use the structure 'be/become/remain + critical + of + person/thing.' For example: 'The committee was critical of the proposal.' It always indicates the 'disapproving judgment' sense.
It refers to the objective analysis and evaluation of an issue in order to form a judgement. It involves logic, reasoning, and evidence-based assessment, not just being negative.