Definitions

crucial

[kroo-shuhl] / ˈkru ʃəl /

ADJECTIVE

critical, important

Synonyms

STRONGEST

bottom-line central compelling deciding decisive essential imperative momentous necessary pivotal pressing touchy urgent vital

WEAK

acute clamorous climactic desperate dire hanging by thread high-priority insistent on thin ice searching showdown touch and go

Antonyms

STRONGEST

inessential insignificant minor optional secondary trivial unimportant unnecessary voluntary

WEAK

uncritical

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

These same systems will be crucial in building more sustainable relationships with the natural world.

From Science Daily • Apr. 19, 2026

CNN described him as “a man who may hold crucial clues to the bombing.”

From Slate • Apr. 19, 2026

Government funding is also crucial to building the kind of infrastructure and schools that attract talented people to the state and keep the economy growing, he added.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 19, 2026

Captain Matt Grimes has also delivered motivational messages to the squad - including inspirational talks about other title-winning sides - which have proved crucial, especially when the side had a wobble in January.

From BBC • Apr. 17, 2026

Thus their first appearance in a discipline marks a crucial moment in the history of that discipline, the beginning of what, in retrospect, we may call ‘modernity’.

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton

Vocabulary lists containing crucial

List 1

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Jim Burke's Academic Vocabulary List

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