all-important

adjective

all-im·​por·​tant ˌȯl-im-ˈpȯr-tᵊnt 

-tənt

: of very great or greatest importance

an all-important question

Synonyms of all-important

• essential
• necessary
• integral
• required
• needed
• needful
• vital
• critical
• crucial

Examples of all-important in a Sentence

that all-important item for a successful birthday party: a fancily decorated cake with candles

Recent Examples on the Web

To give Stagg an all-important sense of humanity outside of his no-nonsense approach to meteorology, Haig ensured the film had moments between Stagg and his wife, who is set to give birth any day to their first child. —Barry Levitt, Time, 29 May 2026

For all-important Game 5 in Cleveland, the team lined up Swift to sing the national anthem. —Lisa Gutierrez, Kansas City Star, 27 May 2026

This overhaul, which Google is touting as the biggest change ever to its all-important search box, includes delivering conversational answers that turn publisher link into essentially footnotes, which explains Lynch’s grim mandate at Conde Nast. —Andy Meek, Forbes.com, 25 May 2026

Cuse lost its previous two dates with UNC this season, only to triumph in the all-important third meeting. —Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 23 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1748, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for all-important

• unimportant
• important

Kids Definition

all-important

adjective

all-im·​por·​tant

ˌȯ-lim-ˈpȯrt-ᵊnt, 

-ənt

: of very great importance

an all-important question