1.marked by a tendency to find and call attention to errors and flaws;
a critical attitude
2.at or of a point at which a property or phenomenon suffers an abrupt change especially having enough mass to sustain a chain reaction;
a critical temperature of water is 100 degrees C--its boiling point at standard atmospheric pressure
3.characterized by careful evaluation and judgment;
a critical reading
4.urgently needed; absolutely necessary;
a critical element of the plan
5.forming or having the nature of a turning point or crisis;
a critical point in the campaign
6.being in or verging on a state of crisis or emergency;
a critical shortage of food
7.of or involving or characteristic of critics or criticism;
critical acclaim