critically
gb/kɹˈɪtɪkli/ us/kɹˈɪtɪkli/
B2
English
Senses
0 senses
adverb
B2
quantity
1
to a dangerous or severe degree
in a very serious or dangerous way
Usage pattern:
critically + [adjective/participle] (e.g., ill, injured, damaged)
Common mistake:
Don’t confuse with 'critical' meaning 'negative' (criticizing); in health/news it usually means 'very serious'.
Synonyms
seriously (more general and less formal.)
|
severely (emphasizes intensity of harm or effect.)
|
dangerously (highlights risk and threat.)
Antonyms
mildly (to a small or not serious degree.)
|
safely (without danger or serious risk.)
Collocations
critically ill
|critically injured
|critically wounded
|critically damaged
|critically low
|critically short
|critically endangered
|critically unstable
Themes
health
|news
|emergencies
Examples
- Three passengers were critically injured in the crash.
- The patient’s blood pressure dropped critically low during the night.
- Parts of the bridge were critically damaged by the storm.
Learner examples
- He is critically ill in hospital.
- The engine is critically damaged.
adverb
formal
B2
property
2
in an extremely important way
very important; extremely necessary
Usage pattern:
critically + [adjective] (e.g., important, necessary, needed)
Common mistake:
In this meaning, 'critically' does not mean 'negatively'; it means 'extremely'.
Synonyms
vitally (strong and common in formal writing.)
|
crucially (often used to introduce a key point.)
|
essentially (can mean 'fundamentally' as well as 'importantly'.)
Antonyms
insignificantly (not important in effect or meaning.)
|
marginally (only slightly; not central.)
Collocations
critically important
|critically necessary
|critically needed
|critically depends on
|critically reliant on
|critically affects
|critically relevant
Themes
business
|education
|daily_life
Examples
- It is critically important to back up your data.
- Accurate measurement is critically important in this experiment.
- The plan critically depends on getting funding by June.
Learner examples
- Sleep is critically important for health.
adverb
C1
process
3
with careful analysis and judgment
carefully and logically, to decide what is true or good
Usage pattern:
[think/read/look/listen] critically (about [something])
Common mistake:
This does not necessarily mean 'negatively'; it often means 'carefully and objectively'.
Synonyms
analytically (emphasizes breaking something into parts.)
|
carefully (broader; may lack the idea of evaluation.)
|
objectively (emphasizes fairness and lack of bias.)
Antonyms
uncritically (accepting without questioning or evaluation.)
|
blindly (without thought or evidence.)
Collocations
think critically
|read critically
|look critically at
|examine critically
|assess critically
|evaluate critically
|analyse critically
|consider critically
Themes
education
|work
|thinking
Examples
- Students are encouraged to think critically about sources online.
- She read the report critically and flagged unsupported claims.
- It helps to look critically at your own assumptions.
Learner examples
- Try to think critically about advertisements.
adverb
C1
property
4
in a fault-finding way
in a negative way; focusing on problems
Usage pattern:
[speak/look/comment] critically (of/on [someone/something])
Common mistake:
This meaning is different from 'critically important' and 'think critically' (which are often neutral).
Synonyms
disapprovingly (highlights negative attitude.)
|
harshly (stronger and more severe.)
|
unfavorably (often used in comparisons or reviews.)
Antonyms
approvingly (showing agreement or praise.)
|
favorably (showing a positive judgment.)
Collocations
speak critically
|comment critically
|look critically at
|judge critically
|view critically
|write critically about
Themes
communication
|emotions
|work
Examples
- He spoke critically of the new policy.
- She looked at the draft critically and listed what needed changing.
- The proposal was received critically by several team members.
Learner examples
- Don’t talk critically about people at work.
adverb
C1
relation
5
as judged by professional critics
in reviews by critics
Usage pattern:
critically + [past participle/adjective] (e.g., acclaimed, praised, panned)
Common mistake:
‘Critically’ here refers to critics’ opinions, not necessarily a ‘critical situation’.
Synonyms
in reviews (more explicit but less compact.)
|
by critics (directly names the source of the judgment.)
Antonyms
commercially (focused on sales or profit rather than reviews.)
Collocations
critically acclaimed
|critically praised
|critically lauded
|critically panned
|critically well-received
|critically successful
Themes
media
|arts
|entertainment
Examples
- The film was critically acclaimed but didn’t sell many tickets.
- Her debut novel was critically praised across major newspapers.
- The show was critically panned after its first episode.
Learner examples
- The movie was critically acclaimed.
Grammar
Dictionary form
critically
IPA
GB/kɹˈɪtɪkli/
US/kɹˈɪtɪkli/
Syllables & stress
crit - ic - ally (3 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (crit)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: critically
- Plural: criticallies
Word family
Expressions
critically acclaimed
1/kɹˈɪtɪkli əklˈeɪmd/
fixed phrase
praised by professional critics
critics say it is very good
Examples
- The album was critically acclaimed and won several awards.
- She starred in a critically acclaimed drama series.
- The restaurant became critically acclaimed within a year of opening.
critically acclaimed
1/kɹˈɪtɪkli əklˈeɪmd/
fixed phrase
praised by professional critics
praised by critics or reviewers.
Examples
- The critically acclaimed series returns for a second season next month.
- She directed a critically acclaimed documentary about climate justice.
- Their critically acclaimed restaurant is known for simple seasonal food.
critically endangered
1/kɹˈɪtɪkli ɪndˈeɪnd͡ʒɚd/
fixed phrase
technical
at extreme risk of extinction
very close to extinction
Examples
- The species is critically endangered due to habitat loss.
- Several critically endangered turtles were released back into the ocean.
- Poaching has pushed the animal to critically endangered status.
critically ill
1/kɹˈɪtɪkli ˈɪl/
fixed phrase
very seriously ill
very, very sick
Examples
- Two people are critically ill after eating contaminated food.
- She was critically ill for weeks but eventually recovered.
- He remains critically ill in intensive care.
critically important
1/kɹˈɪtɪkli ɪmpˈɔɹtənt/
fixed phrase
formal
extremely important
very important
Examples
- It’s critically important to check the dosage before you take the medicine.
- Good communication is critically important in remote teams.
- Keeping children away from the edge is critically important for safety.
critically injured
1/kɹˈɪtɪkli ˈɪnd͡ʒɚd/
fixed phrase
very badly hurt
hurt very badly
Examples
- A cyclist was critically injured in the collision.
- Several people were injured, including one who was critically injured.
- He was critically injured while trying to rescue a child.
think critically
1/θˈɪŋk kɹˈɪtɪkli/
fixed phrase
judge ideas carefully
think carefully and logically
Examples
- The course teaches students to think critically about research.
- If you think critically, you’ll ask where the numbers came from.
- We need to think critically before sharing posts online.