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

Fortunately for the Television Academy, before criticism of this year’s NBC ceremony could reach any sort of critical mass, word got out that Amazon’s Prime Video is in talks to take over the Emmycast. — Josef Adalian, Vulture, 17 Sep. 2026

If the business cannot reliably assemble the critical mass needed for meaningful interaction, the problem may be network density, not product quality or monetization. — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2026

The New York City Council is considering a new bill to address the city's backlog of emergency calls as some say the situation has reached critical mass. — Ali Bauman, CBS News, 20 Aug. 2026

The effort seemed to reach a critical mass of support after Hegseth presented Capers with Fox Nation’s Salute to Service Award in front of a large national audience in November. — Ethan Rocke, Charlotte Observer, 20 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1947, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for critical mass

• bermudagrass
• ecclesiastes
• alas
• amass
• bromegrass
• bypass
• crabgrass
• crevasse
• eelgrass
• eyeglass
• groundmass
• harass