critically

English

Etymology

critical +‎ -ly

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈkɹɪt.ɪk.li/

  • Audio (Southern England)

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• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈkɹɪt.ɪk.li/, [ˈkɹɪɾ.ɪk.li]

  • Audio (Mid-Atlantic)

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• IPA^(key): /ˈkɹɪt.ɪ.kəl.i/

Adverb

critically (comparative more critically, superlative most critically)

1. In a critical manner; with, or in terms of, criticism.

   I looked critically at the frayed carpet of the hotel room.

2. In terms of critique, review, of or by critics

   a critically applauded film

3. With close discernment; accurately; exactly.
   • 1685, John Dryden, transl., “Preface”, in Sylvæ: Or, The Second Part of Poetical Miscellanies, London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC; reprinted Menston, Yorkshire, London: Scolar Press, 1973, →ISBN, page 19:

     Thus difficult it is to underſtand the purity of Engliſh, and critically to diſcern not only good Writers from bad, and a proper ſtile from a corrupt, but alſo to diſtinguiſh that which is pure in a good Author, from that which is vicious and corrupt in him.

4. At a crisis or critical time; in a situation, place, or condition of decisive consequence.

   a fortification critically situated

   • 1724, [Gilbert] Burnet, edited by [Gilbert Burnet Jr.], Bishop Burnet’s History of His Own Time. […], volumes (please specify |volume=I or II), London: […] Thomas Ward […], →OCLC:

     Coming critically the night before the session.

5. Requiring immediate attention; likely to cause a collapse.

   critically ill

   critically injured

   critically endangered

Antonyms

• uncritically

Derived terms

• critically damped

Translations

in a critical manner, with criticism

• Arabic: اِنْتِقَاد (intiqād)
• Armenian: քննադատաբար (hy) (kʻnnadatabar)
• Catalan: críticament (ca)
• Czech: kriticky (cs)
• Dutch: kritiek (nl)
• Italian: criticamente (it)
• Romanian: critic (ro), în mod critic
• Russian: крити́чно (ru) (kritíčno)
• Slovak: kriticky
• Spanish: críticamente