Tra từ critical - Từ điển Oxford Advanced Learner 8th

crit·ic·al BrE [ˈkrɪtɪkl] NAmE [ˈkrɪtɪkl] adjective

EXPRESSING DISAPPROVAL
1. expressing disapproval of sb/sth and saying what you think is bad about them
•a critical comment/report
• The supervisor is always very critical.
•~ of sb/sth Tom's parents were highly critical of the school.

IMPORTANT
2. extremely important because a future situation will be affected by it
Syn: ↑crucial
•a critical factor in the election campaign
• Reducing levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is of critical importance.
• Your decision is critical to our future.

SERIOUS/DANGEROUS
3. serious, uncertain and possibly dangerous
• The first 24 hours after the operation are the most critical.
•a critical moment in our country's history
• One of the victims of the fire remains in a critical condition.
see also ↑crisis

MAKING CAREFUL JUDGEMENTS
4. involving making fair, careful judgements about the good and bad qualities of sb/sth
• Students are encouraged to develop critical thinking instead of accepting opinions without questioning them.

OF ART/MUSIC/BOOKS, ETC.
5. only before noun according to the judgement of ↑critics of art, music, literature, etc
•the film director's greatest critical success
• In her day she never received the critical acclaim (= praise from the ↑critics ) she deserved.
Derived Word: ↑critically

Word Origin:
mid 16th cent. (in the sense ‘relating to the crisis of a disease’): from late Latin criticus, from Greek kritikos, from kritēs ‘a judge’, from krinein ‘judge, decide’.

Thesaurus:
critical [critical critically] adj.
1.
•They issued a critical report on the government's handling of the crisis.
disapproving • • damning • |disapproving judgemental •
Opp: uncritical
critical/disapproving of sb/sth
critical/disapproving/damning/judgemental comments
a critical/disapproving/judgemental tone/attitude
2.
•The decision is critical to our future.
crucial • • vital • • essential • • of the essence • • decisive • • important • • significant • • pivotal • |formal imperative •
critical/crucial/vital/essential/of the essence/decisive/important/significant/imperative for sth
critical/crucial/vital/essential/pivotal to sth
be critical/crucial/vital/essential/important/significant/imperative that…
the critical/crucial/decisive/pivotal moment
Critical or crucial? There is no real difference in meaning between these words. However, critical is often used to talk about technical matters; crucial is often used for emotional matters.

Synonyms:
essential
vital • crucial • critical • decisive • indispensable
These words all describe sb/sth that is extremely important and completely necessary because a particular situation or activity depends on them.
essential • extremely important and completely necessary, because without it sth cannot exist, be made or be successful: ▪ Experience is essential for this job.
vital • essential: ▪ The police play a vital role in our society.
essential or vital?
These words have the same meaning but there can be a slight difference in tone. Essential is used to state a fact or opinion with authority. Vital is often used when there is some anxiety felt about sth, or a need to persuade sb that a fact or opinion is true, right or important. Vital is less often used in negative statements: ▪ It was vital to show that he was not afraid. ◇ Money is not vital to happiness.
crucial • extremely important because a particular situation or activity depends on it: ▪ It is crucial that we get this right.
critical • extremely important because a particular situation or activity depends on it: ▪ Your decision is critical to our future.
crucial or critical?
These words have the same meaning but there can be a slight difference in context. Critical is often used in technical matters of business or science; crucial is often used to talk about matters that may cause anxiety or other emotions.
decisive • of the greatest importance in affecting the final result of a particular situation: ▪ She has played a decisive role in the peace negotiations.
indispensable • essential; too important to be without: ▪ Cars have become an indispensable part of our lives.
essential/vital/crucial/critical/decisive/indispensable for sth
essential/vital/crucial/critical/indispensable to sth
essential/vital/crucial/critical that…
essential/vital/crucial/critical to do sth
a(n) essential/vital/crucial/critical/decisive/indispensable part/factor
of vital/crucial/critical/decisive importance
absolutely essential/vital/crucial/critical/decisive/indispensable

Example Bank:
•Maintaining control of the the budget is absolutely critical for success.
•She became openly critical of party policy.
•The report was highly critical of the company's poor safety record.
•This reorganization is critical to the long-term future of the company.
•If the temperature drops those critical two degrees, the engine will stop functioning.
•One of the victims of the fire remains in a critical condition.
•One of the victims remains in critical condition.
•Price and availability are the critical factors that will determine product success.
•Reducing levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is of critical importance.
•They issued a critical report on the government's handling of the crisis.
•This is a critical moment in our country's history.
•Tom's parents were highly critical of the school.