is pretty critical

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "is pretty critical" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to emphasize the importance or necessity of something in a given context. Example: "The success of this project is pretty critical to our overall strategy for the year."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

12 human-written examples

Your gut instinct is pretty critical.

The New York Times

Indeed the location of the storm track relative to the Gulf and sources of moisture is pretty critical.

The New York Times

Those factors matter, but, Dr. Pillemer said, "when families talk about who's going to help Mom, looking at her preferences is pretty critical".

The New York Times

"At the start of the race, that corner is pretty critical, and there's always a few guys taking different lines through there," said Heikki Kovalainen, a driver at the Lotus team.

The New York Times - Sports

Because of this Webley was seen as a bit of an ogre by some students, and the University and College Union (UCU) is pretty critical of him, but he goes out of his way to be sympathetic, as shown by the way he penned a note to the agreement he struck with students, saying he believed personally that undocumented workers should have their immigration status regularised.

Independent

Let's hope so, because the sound is pretty critical on some.

TechCrunch

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

48 human-written examples

"That's pretty critical.

The New York Times

He could be pretty critical.

The New York Times

They tend to be pretty critical".

The New York Times - Arts

I was pretty critical of him during the film session.

The New York Times - Sports

"He's been pretty critical of me," Urlacher said.

The New York Times - Sports

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When emphasizing the importance of something, consider using "is pretty critical" to convey a sense of urgency without being overly formal. It's particularly effective in contexts where a direct, yet not aggressive, tone is desired.

Common error

While "is pretty critical" is acceptable, overuse of 'pretty' as an intensifier can weaken your writing. Vary your language by using stronger or more precise words to convey the level of importance.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "is pretty critical" functions as an evaluative expression, emphasizing the significance or necessity of something. As Ludwig AI indicates, the phrase is grammatically correct and usable. It highlights the importance of a particular aspect, action, or consideration.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

70%

Science

15%

Formal & Business

5%

Less common in

Academia

3%

Encyclopedias

3%

Reference

4%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "is pretty critical" is a grammatically sound and commonly used phrase to emphasize the importance of something. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and usability across diverse contexts. While versatile, it's best used in neutral to slightly informal settings, as more formal alternatives may be preferable in academic or highly professional writing. Be mindful of overusing 'pretty' as an intensifier, and consider stronger or more precise words to vary your language and enhance clarity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

is quite essential

Replaces 'pretty' with 'quite', slightly increasing the formality and emphasis.

is really vital

Substitutes 'pretty' with 'really' and 'critical' with 'vital', adding a touch more emphasis.

is absolutely necessary

Replaces the entire phrase with a stronger, more formal expression of necessity.

is highly important

Replaces 'critical' with 'important' and uses 'highly' for intensification, maintaining a similar level of formality.

is of paramount importance

Offers a more formal and emphatic way to convey extreme importance.

is crucially important

Emphasizes the crucial aspect of importance, implying that failure to address it will have severe consequences.

is utterly crucial

Combines a stronger intensifier ('utterly') with 'crucial' to highlight the decisiveness of the factor.

is exceptionally significant

Emphasizes the significance of the element, suggesting that its impact is beyond the ordinary.

is fundamentally key

Stresses that the element forms a basic and indispensable part of the whole.

is centrally vital

Emphasizes the central position of an element and its absolute necessity.

FAQs

How can I use "is pretty critical" in a sentence?

Use "is pretty critical" to emphasize that something is important or essential. For example: "Ensuring data security "is pretty critical" for maintaining customer trust".

What can I say instead of "is pretty critical"?

You can use alternatives like "is quite essential", "is really vital", or "is absolutely necessary" depending on the context.

Is "is pretty critical" too informal for academic writing?

While generally acceptable, "is pretty critical" leans towards informality. For academic writing, consider more formal alternatives such as "is highly important" or "is crucially important".

What's the difference between "is pretty critical" and "is very critical"?

"Is very critical" is slightly more emphatic than "is pretty critical". Both convey importance, but "very" adds a stronger degree of intensity. However, remember that both should be replaced by more suitable expressions when writing formally.