constructing or tending to construct or improve or promote development; "constructive criticism"; "a constructive attitude"; "a constructive philosophy"; "constructive permission"
emphasizing what is laudable or hopeful or to the good; "constructive criticism"
characteristic or indicative of e.g. a disease; "a diagnostic sign of yellow fever"; "diagnostic information"; "a rash symptomatic of scarlet fever"; "symptomatic of insanity"; "a rise in crime symptomatic of social breakdown"
concerned with diagnosis; used for furthering diagnosis; "a diagnostic clinic"; "a diagnostic reading test"; "diagnostic information"
marked by a tendency to find and call attention to errors and flaws; "a critical attitude"
characterized by careful evaluation and judgment; "a critical reading"; "a critical dissertation"; "a critical analysis of Melville's writings"
being in or verging on a state of crisis or emergency; "a critical shortage of food"; "a critical illness"; "an illness at the critical stage"
at or of a point at which a property or phenomenon suffers an abrupt change especially having enough mass to sustain a chain reaction; "a critical temperature of water is 100 degrees C--its boiling point at standard atmospheric pressure"; "critical mass"; "go critical"
forming or having the nature of a turning point or crisis; "a critical point in the campaign"; "the critical test"
urgently needed; absolutely necessary; "a critical element of the plan"; "critical medical supplies"; "vital for a healthy society"; "of vital interest"
of or involving or characteristic of critics or criticism; "critical acclaim"