Critical Vocabulary

adverb with an attitude or look of suspicion or disapproval

preposition with a look of suspicion or disapproval

• She looked at the proposal askance, unsure of its validity.
• He always looks at new technology askance, preferring the old ways.
• The group of friends eyed the newcomer askance, wondering what he was up to.
• The teacher raised her eyebrow askance at the student's excuse for not completing the assignment.

adjective Caustic is an adjective that describes something that is sarcastic, cutting, or harsh in tone.

• The scientist conducted experiments to study the effects of caustic chemicals on different materials.
• Be careful with that caustic cleaner, it's really strong stuff.
• She has a caustic sense of humor that can be a bit harsh at times.
• His caustic remarks left a lasting impact on the team's morale.

adjective Crucial is an adjective that describes something that is extremely important or necessary.

• It is crucial to follow proper procedures in order to maintain safety standards.
• It's crucial that we don't forget to bring snacks for the road trip.
• It's crucial that we don't mess this up, dude.
• Time management is crucial in order to juggle all the responsibilities in life.

adjective expressing disapproval or criticism

• Her deprecatory remarks towards her colleagues were not well received in the professional setting.
• I don't appreciate your deprecatory comments about my cooking skills.
• Stop being so deprecatory, it's not cool.
• His deprecatory attitude towards life is holding him back from achieving his goals.

adjective expressing contempt or ridicule

• The professor's derisive tone towards the student's answer was quite off-putting.
• She couldn't help but give a derisive laugh at his terrible joke.
• He shot her a derisive look when she suggested they watch a cheesy rom-com.
• The crumbling old building seemed to cast a derisive glare at the shiny new skyscraper next door.

adverb An adverb is a word that modifies a verb, adjective, or another adverb. It often describes the degree or extent to which something is done, in this case, 'extremely' modifies the verb or adjective it is paired with.

• The research findings were extremely conclusive and will have a significant impact on the scientific community.
• I am extremely excited about the upcoming concert, I can't wait to see my favorite band perform!
• That movie was extremely lit, I couldn't stop laughing the entire time.
• Her love for him was like a flame that burned extremely bright and never seemed to fade.

noun the quality of being biting or caustic in style or tone

adjective having a biting or caustic quality

• The critic's mordancy in his reviews often left the artists feeling disheartened.
• Her mordancy when joking around can sometimes be a bit too much.
• I can't handle his mordancy, it's just too harsh.
• The mordancy of his words cut through the tension in the room like a knife.

noun something that is needed or required

adjective required to be done, achieved, or present; needed; essential

• It is necessary to follow the proper protocol in order to proceed with the project.
• You really need to study if you want to pass the exam, it's necessary.
• If you wanna ace this, putting in the work is absolutely necessary.
• Just like how water is necessary for life, perseverance is necessary for success.

noun the quality of being imperative; importance or urgency

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• The imperativeness of following proper procedures cannot be overstated in a professional setting.
• It's really important to understand the imperativeness of meeting deadlines at work.
• Dude, you gotta get the imperativeness of studying for this exam, it's no joke.
• The imperativeness of taking care of our planet is like a ticking time bomb waiting to explode.

adjective sour or bitter in taste; harsh or severe in manner or tone

• The acerb criticism from the professor left the students feeling dejected.
• Her acerb wit always keeps us on our toes during meetings.
• I can't stand his acerb attitude, he's always so negative.
• The acerb taste of the lemonade made her wince.