critical hit
/ˈkrɪt.ɪ.kəl hɪt/
CommonAn attack that deals extra damage in a game. Broadly, landing a devastating or perfectly-timed blow in any context.
Can be used approvingly (something hit hard in a good way) or as commentary on how badly something affected a person.
Real-world examples4 examples
| # | Example | What it means | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | that last scene of the episode was a critical hit to my emotions | A scene affected the viewer deeply and unexpectedly. | x, 2024 |
| 02 | my friend told me I looked tired and it was a critical hit because I just woke up from 10 hours of sleep | An offhand comment was more upsetting than the speaker intended. | reddit, 2023 |
| 03 | her comeback was an absolute crit. he had no response. | Someone delivered a perfectly timed and devastating retort. | tiktok, 2024 |
| 04 | that song hits different at 2am. critical hit to the feels. | Music had a strong emotional impact in a specific context. | x, 2023 |
Use it when
- An attack or action in a game deals extra damage due to a lucky roll or mechanic.
- Someone says or does something that lands unexpectedly hard emotionally.
- A piece of content hits the audience harder than expected.
- Something catches a person at their most vulnerable and affects them deeply.
Do not use it when
- Something just went well or was a success.Use “W” instead.
- You mean a critical success roll specifically in D&D.Use “nat-20” instead.
Variations and related forms
Critical hit vs nat 20
critical hit
Critical hit is the mechanical result of extra damage from a lucky attack.
VS
nat-20
Nat 20 is the specific dice roll that often triggers a critical hit, but also means any perfect success.
Origin and context
Originated in tabletop RPGs and early video games as a mechanic where an attack deals bonus damage. The concept spread across gaming genres and eventually into general internet slang as a way to describe any impactful moment.
- First seen
- 1970s
- Confidence
- medium
Cite this page
Use this stable URL to reference the entry.
https://slang.fyi/critical-hitUpdated: 2026-08-28License: CC BY 4.0