on the critical list
idiom
: very sick or injured and likely to die
patients who are on the critical list
—sometimes used figurativelya government program that is on the critical list
Examples of on the critical list in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Related article No antibiotics worked, so this woman turned to a natural enemy of bacteria to save her husband’s life
Candida auris is third on the critical list and unique in several ways.
—
Sandee Lamotte, CNN Money, 6 May 2025
There are no vaccines for any of the four fungal infections on the critical list.
—Jen Christensen, CNN, 7 Feb. 2023
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.
Sandee Lamotte, CNN Money, 6 May 2025
There are no vaccines for any of the four fungal infections on the critical list.
—Jen Christensen, CNN, 7 Feb. 2023
Cite this Entry
“On the critical list.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/on%20the%20critical%20list. Accessed 11 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share