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Showing results for vital.
Definitions

vital

[vahyt-l] / ˈvaɪt l /
ADJECTIVE
essential
Synonyms
STRONGEST
basic critical crucial decisive fundamental imperative important indispensable integral key meaningful necessary needed significant urgent
WEAK
bottom-line cardinal coal-and-ice constitutive heavy life-or-death meat-and-potatoes must-have nitty-gritty prerequisite required requisite underlined
Antonyms
STRONGEST
additional extra inessential insignificant meaningless minor needless nonessential optional secondary trivial uncritical unimportant unnecessary useless voluntary worthless
WEAK
dead dull insignficant sluggish
ADJECTIVE
lively
Synonyms
STRONGEST
dynamic energetic vibrant vigorous
WEAK
animated forceful lusty red-blooded spirited strenuous vivacious zestful
Antonyms
STRONGEST
dull idle inactive lethargic
WEAK
dead inessential insignficant sluggish trivial unimportant
ADJECTIVE
alive
Synonyms
WEAK
animate animated breathing generative invigorative life-giving live living quickening
Antonyms
WEAK
dead dull inessential insignficant sluggish trivial unimportant

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.

That is aimed at causing enough economic damage to Iran that it agrees to reopen the vital waterway, which carries about a fifth of the world’s oil and other valuable commodities like fertilizer.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 14, 2026

“Getting global shipping moving is vital to ease cost of living pressures,” he said in a statement on X.

From Salon • Apr. 14, 2026

With commercial space flights becoming more possible and more space missions in the works, Mackaill thinks her research will become vital very soon.

From BBC • Apr. 14, 2026

Roughly one-fifth of the world's oil normally flows through the vital waterway.

From Barron's • Apr. 14, 2026

Soldiers manned forward listening posts, eavesdropping near enemy lines, trying to pick up vital intelligence.

From "The War to End All Wars: World War I" by Russell Freedman

Vocabulary lists containing vital

The Watsons Go to Birmingham

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List 7

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"All Summer in a Day" by Ray Bradbury

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