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
A 12-year-old girl was in critical condition today at Children's Hospital with the rare but often deadly hantavirus.The New York Times

Examples of critical condition in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Thirty-two people, including two people who were in critical condition, were transported to local hospitals, the county fire department and California Highway Patrol announced. Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 11 May 2025 According to authorities, two women pulled him from the water and called 911 Emergency responders transferred him to a local hospital in critical condition, but the man later died from his injuries A man died earlier this week after attempting to save his dog from the ocean, according to officials. Jillian Frankel, People.com, 10 May 2025 One of the men, who was stabbed in the chest, was in critical condition Friday night. William Melhado, Sacbee.com, 10 May 2025 The crash happened April 12, and the motorcycle rider was taken to an area hospital in critical condition, said Sgt. Nathan Pilling, Kansas City Star, 9 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for critical condition

Word History

First Known Use

1815, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of critical condition was in 1815

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Cite this Entry

“Critical condition.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/critical%20condition. Accessed 18 May. 2025.

Medical 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
The 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
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