critical condition
noun
plural critical conditions
medical
: a serious state in which an ill or injured individual has dangerously unstable or abnormal vital signs and typically requires short-term life support measures (such as mechanical respiration or defibrillation) for stabilization and support prior to or during recovery
The man sustained serious injuries and is still unconscious and in critical condition at Salina Hope Hospital.—
Ingrid Law
Ingrid LawA 12-year-old girl was in critical condition today at Children's Hospital with the rare but often deadly hantavirus.—The New York Times
The New York TimesExamples of critical condition in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Los Angeles Angels prospect Rio Foster is in critical condition after being involved in a single-car crash in Richland, Washington, early Friday morning.
—Sam Blum, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2025
The woman driving the car that struck the building died and the man driving the other car is in critical condition, according to police.
—Natalie Davies, Freep.com, 6 Sep. 2025
At least 23 others were injured in the crash, including five who are in critical condition, according to a police statement to Portuguese network SIC.
—Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 4 Sep. 2025
Three people who were shot remained in critical condition Wednesday night and one was recovering after treatment, said Battalion Chief Riley Nolan, a fire department spokesman.
—Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 4 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for critical condition
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Sam Blum, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2025
The woman driving the car that struck the building died and the man driving the other car is in critical condition, according to police.
—Natalie Davies, Freep.com, 6 Sep. 2025
At least 23 others were injured in the crash, including five who are in critical condition, according to a police statement to Portuguese network SIC.
—Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 4 Sep. 2025
Three people who were shot remained in critical condition Wednesday night and one was recovering after treatment, said Battalion Chief Riley Nolan, a fire department spokesman.
—Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 4 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for critical condition
Cite this Entry
“Critical condition.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/critical%20condition. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
critical condition
noun
: a serious medical state in which an ill or injured individual has dangerously unstable or abnormal vital signs and typically requires short-term life support measures (such as mechanical respiration or defibrillation) for stabilization and support prior to or during recovery
The safe transport of infants in critical condition requires highly reliable inter-professional transport teams that are equipped with the expertise to provide neonatal care in unfamiliar and resource-limited environments.—Douglas M. Campbell and Rita Dadiz, Seminars in Perinatology
Douglas M. Campbell and Rita Dadiz, Seminars in PerinatologyThe large number of patients with COVID-19, suspected cases, hospitalizations, and patients in critical condition has made the medical work incredibly hard.—Jing Huang et al., Clinical Infectious Diseases
Jing Huang et al., Clinical Infectious DiseasesLove words? Need even more definitions?
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