critically need

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "critically need" is not correct in standard written English.
The correct expression is "critically needed" or "need critically." Example: "The project is critically needed to address the urgent issues facing our community."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

18 human-written examples

We are also at risk of stifling economic growth if we do not produce the future engineers we so critically need," said Prof Will Stewart of the IET.

The Guardian

As we build a world that's ready for the future, we critically need to bring the next generation to the table.

The Guardian

But, Dr. Flick said, without definitive evidence, the issue is extremely fraught because most young children receiving anesthesia critically need surgery.

The New York Times - Science

The people of Earth are desperate to escape the planet's crime and poverty, and they critically need the state-of-the-art medical care available on Elysium – but some in Elysium will stop at nothing to enforce anti-immigration laws and preserve their citizens' luxurious lifestyle.

The Guardian - Film

Health, education, welfare, housing, job prospects, social capital - all of these things matter to Sebastian's life chances and, critically, need to work in harmony to make a difference.

BBC

Justworks operates in an increasingly crowded space of all-in-one business operation suites that include tools like human resources, payroll, employee management, benefits, and other kinds of tools that businesses critically need to operate as they grow up.

TechCrunch

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

40 human-written examples

L, job critical type, indicates whether the job is critically needed.

Human-centric Computing and Information Sciences

Miles said the purchase was also critically needed for conservation.

The Guardian

The Solar Energy Industries Association, on the other hand, said the rules were "historic" and "critically needed".

The Guardian

His timely presence is critically needed to continue providing patient care at our hospital".

The New Yorker

For similar reasons, there was a lull in building critically needed refineries.

The New York Times - Magazine

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using "critically need" directly. Instead, rephrase to use "critically needed" or "need critically" to maintain grammatical correctness while conveying the intended urgency. For example, "The resources are critically needed" or "We need these resources critically."

Common error

A common mistake is placing adverbs incorrectly in relation to the verbs they modify. With "need", avoid placing "critically" directly before it. Instead, use the past participle form "needed" as in "critically needed", or modify the entire clause with "critically", as in "X needs Y, critically."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "critically need" functions as a verb phrase intended to express an urgent or essential requirement. However, it's grammatically unconventional. It is often used to emphasize the importance or necessity of something, as shown by examples found by Ludwig.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

35%

Formal & Business

25%

Less common in

Wiki

1e-16%

Academia

1e-16%

Encyclopedias

1e-16%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "critically need" is used across various sources, including news, business, and scientific domains, it is grammatically incorrect. The accurate alternatives are "critically needed" or "need critically". Although Ludwig provides examples of its usage, it is essential to recognize its non-standard nature. Consider using alternatives like "urgently require" or "essentially need", especially in formal writing. Ludwig AI confirms that "critically need" is not correct.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

critically require

Uses a direct synonym but corrects the grammatical structure by using require.

urgently require

Emphasizes the pressing nature of the need.

essentially need

Highlights the fundamental necessity.

vitally require

Stresses the importance for survival or success.

desperately need

Conveys a sense of urgency and perhaps a lack of alternatives.

acutely require

Implies a sharp, intense need.

imperatively need

Highlights that it's an unavoidable need.

sorely need

Suggests that the absence of the needed thing is causing pain or distress.

badly need

Indicates a strong desire or requirement.

have a critical need for

Rephrases to focus on the existence of a critical necessity.

FAQs

Is it grammatically correct to say "critically need"?

No, "critically need" is not considered grammatically correct in standard English. The correct forms are "critically needed" or "need critically". Ludwig AI confirms this is not correct.

What does "critically needed" mean?

"Critically needed" means something is urgently or essentially required. The term emphasizes that the need is of utmost importance. Other options can be "urgently require" or "essentially need".

How can I use "critically needed" in a sentence?

You can say, "The funding is critically needed to support the project", or, "These skills are critically needed in the current job market". The emphasis is on the urgency and importance of the need.

Are there alternatives to "critically need" that are grammatically correct?

Yes, you can use phrases like "critically require", "badly need", or "urgently require". Another approach is to use the term "critically" to modify "needed", as in "critically needed".