Words / B2

KRIT-ikl-ee/ˈkrɪtɪkli/

Critically means in a way that judges carefully, or to a dangerous degree (critically ill); also in a way that is very important: read critically; critically endangered. Critically also links to criticism as evaluation, not only complaint. Read the source critically, the mark scheme said. Mix-up: critically vs cynically; criticise as “be nasty”; do not write critically for a film-review slogan with no criterion.

Meaning

In a way that judges carefully, or to a dangerous degree (critically ill); also in a way that is very important.

Examples

• “Read the source critically, the mark scheme said; a critically endangered species still needs the IUCN category.”
• “She was critically ill in the case notes, which is the dangerous-degree sense — quote the medical source.”

Good to know

read / think critically; critically ill / endangered / important. Adjective: critical. Trap: cynically / “be nasty”. Methods, biology, and health. In a judging way, or to a dangerous or crucial degree — name the criterion or the category.

Near in meaning

analytically, severely, crucially

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