critical point

noun
UK: /ˈkrɪtɪkəl pɔɪnt/
US: /ˈkrɪtɪkəl pɔɪnt/

  1. The most important moment in a process or situation.

    1. This is the critical point; we must act quickly.
    2. The negotiations reached a critical point when both sides refused to compromise, risking total failure.

  2. A stage at which a significant change or effect takes place.

    1. At the critical point, the water turns to steam.
    2. The experiment reached a critical point when the temperature exceeded the safety threshold.

  3. In mathematics, a point where the derivative is zero or undefined.

    1. Find the critical point to maximize the function.
    2. The graph shows a critical point at x equals 2, indicating a possible maximum or minimum.

Synonyms

point of no return crisis climax cusp inflection point breakthrough watershed high point apex zenith tipping point crunch time moment of truth defining moment turning point zero hour juncture crossroad inflection peak summit high-water mark emergence crux kernel heart nub pith soul gist burden core focal point root quintessence thrust tenor gravamen mainspring nuts and bolts marrow center of gravity point of contention essence nature essentiality import theme chief point point of departure cardinal point burden of proof centrality cornerstone lynchpin bedrock linchpin anchor

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "critical point" in English means: The most important moment in a process or situation., A stage at which a significant change or effect takes place., In mathematics, a point where the derivative is zero or undefined..

The phonetic transcription of "critical point" is /ˈkrɪtɪkəl pɔɪnt/ in British English and /ˈkrɪtɪkəl pɔɪnt/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "critical point": point of no return, crisis, climax, cusp, inflection point, breakthrough, watershed, high point, apex, zenith, tipping point, crunch time, moment of truth, defining moment, turning point, zero hour, juncture, crossroad, inflection, peak, summit, high-water mark, emergence, crux, kernel, heart, nub, pith, soul, gist, burden, core, focal point, root, quintessence, thrust, tenor, gravamen, mainspring, nuts and bolts, marrow, center of gravity, point of contention, essence, nature, essentiality, import, theme, chief point, point of departure, cardinal point, burden of proof, centrality, cornerstone, lynchpin, bedrock, linchpin, anchor.

Example usage of "critical point": "This is the critical point; we must act quickly.". More examples on the page.