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.

With the master plan in hand, Centennial Partners is now ready to start the crucial phase of finding capital, Araujo said.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 12, 2026

The president said more than 200 commercial ships had safely traveled the crucial waterway, resulting in more than 100 million barrels of oil reaching the market.

From Barron's • Jun. 11, 2026

A spokeswoman for Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said the bridge is crucial for the Michigan economy.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 11, 2026

They added the 12‑month period during which Article 4 was in force in Gwynedd will be "crucial" as the local authority decides on its next steps.

From BBC • Jun. 11, 2026

But here his crucial intellectual shortcoming came to the fore: he was not a particularly gifted experimentalist.

From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee

Vocabulary lists containing crucial

List 1

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Jim Burke's Academic Vocabulary List

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