critically

American

[krit-ik-lee] / ˈkrɪt ɪk li /

adverb

in a judgmental or disapproving manner.

The backlash was immediate after he spoke critically of his opponent’s personal life.
in a manner involving skillful analysis of merit, as of a decision or work of art or literature: critically admired novels.

a critically sanctioned project;
critically admired novels.
to a devastating degree, leading to or reaching a crisis.

As floodwaters rise, we are critically lacking sandbags and evacuation transport.
seriously or extremely, as of a gravely unstable medical condition: a critically ill pneumonia patient.

critically injured;
a critically ill pneumonia patient.
with decisive or essential importance with respect to the outcome; crucially; indispensably.

The success of this experiment critically relies on optimal weather.

Other Word Forms

noncritically adverb

Etymology

Origin of critically

First recorded in 1645–55; critical ( def. ) + -ly ( def. )

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Still, when she does deign to speak, there’s a dynamite scene where she dresses down Julian critically and psychologically.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026

Viet Nam News reported that organ donations had been made to "five critically ill Vietnamese patients" at the hospital.

From BBC • Apr. 7, 2026

You’ll find everything from red pandas to critically endangered black-and-white ruffed lemurs.

From Salon • Mar. 31, 2026

Your father made sure you earned your allowance, and you got your first sense of what it was like to contribute to the household and — critically — be a stakeholder.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 30, 2026

He props his chin on his hand and looks at me critically.

From "Allegiant" by Veronica Roth

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023