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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England’s critical mass at the Oval was all wrong. Nasser Hussain, New York Times, 23 June 2026 Protection of property rights, so critical to a market economy, requires a critical mass of owners to sustain political support. Marty Steinberg, CNBC, 22 June 2026 Yet by skirting and at times ignoring those rules, ride-sharing companies were able to acquire a critical mass of users in a short period of time. Benjamin Mazer, The Atlantic, 17 June 2026 Scientists need a critical mass of data to be able to identify statistically significant patterns. Los Angeles Times, 15 June 2026 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 25 Jun. 2026.

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