critical mass

noun

: a size, number, or amount large enough to produce a particular result
the critical mass of activity needed for a retail store

Examples of critical mass in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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But by pulling a critical mass of disgruntled Americans into one party, Republicans have created a culture of constant conflict, and those conflicts are often rooted in completely false beliefs about American life. David French, Mercury News, 15 July 2025 The place was big enough to attain critical mass and small enough to spread quickly. David Segal, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025 Data quality needs a lot of improvement before AI adoption reaches critical mass. Mohan Subrahmanya, Forbes.com, 3 July 2025 However, recent studies have hinted some Type Ia supernovae may be better explained by a double explosion that is triggered before the star reaches this critical mass. Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 2 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for critical mass

Word History

First Known Use

1947, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of critical mass was in 1947

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Cite this Entry

“Critical mass.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/critical%20mass. Accessed 27 Jul. 2025.

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