You are too critical of others' shortcomings.
Source: tatoeba (15925)
Critical
/ˈkɹɪt.ɪ.kəl/
Synonyms for "critical" (412 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (83)
Adjective(21 words)
vitalacademic dissentacute observeracutestaesthetic attributeaesthetic practiceanalytical descriptoranalytical techniquebig ideablamefulcompelling casecompelling direct evidencecondemnatorycritical historiographycrucialcrucial evidencecrucial factorcrucial momentcultural critiquedecisive
Show 1 more word
defining moment
Noun(13 words)
analyzingboondogglingcabinet member rolecabinet-level officialscommentatingcorecost-benefit frameworkcritical legal studiescriticizingcrucial decisioncultural practice normscultural studiesdecrying
Strong matches (123)
deprecatorydepreciatingdepreciativedepreciatorydesperatedestructivedetaileddeterminativedifferentialdifficiledifficultdirediscerningdiscoursivediscriminatediscriminatingdiscriminativedisparagingdisquisitionaldissertational
Show 63 more words
distinctivedistinguishingeditorialeducatedelucidativeemergentenlighteningessayisticessenceessentialeuhemeristicexactexactingexegeticexemplificativeexigentexplainingexplanatoryexplicativeexplicatoryexplosiveexpositiveexpositorialexpositoryexquisitefastidiousfatefulfault-findingfaultfindingfinefinicalfinickingfinickyformidablefraught with dangerfretfulfundamentalfussyglossarialgravegreathairsplittinghairyhardhard earnedhard foughthard-earnedhard-foughtheavyherculeanhigh-pressurehigh-priorityhumblinghypercriticalilluminatingilluminativeillustrativeimperativeimperiousimportantincisiveinsistentinstant
Noun(11 words)
determinant formuladissectingemergencyemergency numberemergency policyemergency situationemergency-number listfaultingfictionalizingfreethinkinggathering storm
Adjective(26 words)
direrdisdainfuldystopianemergency procedureenvironmental education viewessentialessential nutrientessential partessential skills prioritizationevaluativeevaluative adjectiveevaluative term listexegeticalfatal omissionfaultfindinggravegrave demeanorgravesthands on inquiryhigh priority
Show 6 more words
Verb(3 words)
Related words (206)
Noun(34 words)
interrogatingjugularkey featurelifesavingliterary analysisliterary elementliterary studiesload bearing beamload bearing framemisrulingmore turning-pointmost essential datamost pivotalnaysayingoral historiespivot momentpolicy critiquepolitical critiquepriority codepriority concerns
Show 14 more words
protestingpublic persuasionreading understandingrebukingreproofingreviewingrising tidescrutinizing eyesocinianstudied artsubversivetrade routesturning-point changeturning-point change metric
intricatejaundicedjawbreakingjeopardousjudgementaljudgmentaljudicativejudicialjudiciaryjudiciousjuridicjuridicaljuristickairotickeyknottedknottylaboriouslandmarkloaded
Show 104 more words
loweringmainmajormeanmenacingmeticulousminutemomentousmonitorymonographicnaggingnarrownastynervousnicenigglingno picnicnot easyon slippery groundon thin iceoperoseovercriticalparlousparticularpeevishpenetratingperfectionistperfectionisticpericulousperilouspersonalpettifoggingpickypivotalprecariouspreciseprecisianisticprecisionisticpregnantpressingpriggishprudishpunctiliouspunctualpuristicpuritanicpuritanicalquerulousquibblingrationalisticrationalizingrefinedreligiousreproachfulrigidrigorousroughruggedsagacioussarcasticscholiasticscorchingscrupulousscrutinizingselectivesensitiveseriousset with thornsseveresignificantslipperyslippysorespinysqueamishstaplesteepsternstrategicstrenuousstrictsubtlesuperficialtactfulthornythreateningticklishtighttoilsometouch-and-gotouchytoughtrichoschistictrickyuglyultracriticaluncertainunderlyinguphillurgentvitalvituperativeweightywicked
Adjective(43 words)
italian opposizionejudgmentalkantiankeykey argumentkey determinantkey factlife threateningliterary piecemain systemmajor releasemajor turning pointsmaterial breachoverambitiousparamountpessimisticphilologicalpivotal turning pointpivotal turning-pointpolitical art theory
Show 23 more words
political commentary artprecariouspressing issuereasoning-basedrevisionist historiographyscarcestscepticalscornfulserious consequencesserious earthly concernssimplisticstrategic goalstextual exampleuncomplimentaryunconscious bias researchunflatteringunfriendlyunimpressedurgent issueurgent matterurgent needurgent requestvital care
Determiner(1 words)
most turning-point
Preposition(1 words)
of prime importance
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: vital, abstruse, academic dissent, accurate, acute.
- Sentence evidence is available for critical, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wordnet, opengloss, moby, derived_reverse, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "critical".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "critical"
Keep "critical" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "critical" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "critical", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "critical" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
3 entriesMore specific
6 entriesCollocations
5 entriescritical differencecritical factorcritical momentcritical periodcritical thinking
Inflections
2 entriesmore criticalmost critical
Derivations
2 entriesAntonyms
2 entriessimilar
31 entriesShowing 16 of 31 words.
Translations
23 translations across 18 languages.
Armenian
1 entries- քննական adj (relating to criticism)
Bulgarian
1 entries- критичен adj (relating to criticism)
Catalan
1 entries- crític adj (relating to criticism)
Dutch
1 entries- kritisch adj (relating to criticism)
Finnish
2 entries- arvostelu- adj (relating to criticism)
- kriittinen adj (of temperature)
German
2 entries- Kritik- adj (relating to criticism)
- Kritiker- adj (relating to criticism)
Greek
1 entries- κριτικός adj (relating to criticism)
Hungarian
1 entries- kritikai adj (relating to criticism)
Irish
2 entries- criticiúil adj (relating to criticism)
- cáinteach adj (relating to criticism)
Italian
1 entries- critico adj (of temperature)
Kazakh
2 entries- сыни adj (relating to criticism)
- сыншыл adj (relating to criticism)
Korean
1 entries- 비판적 adj (relating to criticism)
Persian
1 entries- انتقادی adj (relating to criticism)
Russian
1 entries- крити́ческий adj (relating to criticism)
Slovak
2 entries- kritický adj (relating to criticism)
- kritický adj (of temperature)
Spanish
1 entries- crítico adj (relating to criticism)
Thai
1 entries- เกี่ยวกับการวิจารณ์ adj (relating to criticism)
Ukrainian
1 entries- крити́чний adj (relating to criticism)
Sample sentences
27 total sentences available.
Your mother is in critical condition.
Source: tatoeba (17403)
Education is a critical element.
Source: tatoeba (19118)
The nurse told us not to enter the room because the patient was in a critical condition.
Source: tatoeba (20979)
Showing 4 of 27 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "critical"?
Closest matches include vital, abstruse, academic dissent, accurate, acute.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "critical"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.