1expressing adverse or disapproving comments or judgements:I was very critical of the previous regime
2expressing 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
(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
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 or failure of something:temperature is a critical factor in successful fruit storage [in combination]:time-critical tasks
4 Mathematics & Physics 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
