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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The concept hit critical mass in the fitness-freak nineteen-eighties, but by the late two-thousands chains such as Pinkberry and Red Mango had inspired a craze for giant tubs of the stuff buried under sugary mountains of candy toppings. Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 28 June 2026 Despite generally positive feedback from buyers, building up enough inventory in each market to reach critical mass takes time, Jin said. Robert Channick, Chicago Tribune, 25 June 2026 Real change is a co-creation with a critical mass of community members. Penny Abeywardena, Forbes.com, 25 June 2026 England’s critical mass at the Oval was all wrong. Nasser Hussain, New York Times, 23 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 7 Jul. 2026.

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