crucial

adjective cru·cial \ ˈkrü-shəl \

Updated on: 25 Apr 2018

Definition of crucial

1 archaic : cruciform

2 a : important or essential as resolving a crisis : decisive

She played a crucial role in the negotiations.

b : marked by final determination of a doubtful issue

the crucial game of a series

c : important, significant

… what use we make of them will be the crucial question.
—Stanley Kubrick

Vitamins are crucial for maintaining good health.

See crucial defined for English-language learners

See crucial defined for kids

Examples of crucial in a Sentence

Vitamins are crucial for maintaining good health.
It's crucial that we arrive before 8 o'clock.
Teachers are crucial to the success of the school.
She played a crucial role in the meeting.

Recent Examples of crucial from the Web

The modest meals are crucial for those who receive them.

— robert weisman, BostonGlobe.com, "For those who receive — and deliver — Meals on Wheels, more than nutrition is on the menu," 20 Apr. 2018
Those low-level capabilities are crucial for, and can be adapted to, the assembly of other objects or to other industrial tasks such as handling, drilling, glue dispensing, assembly and inspection.

— larry greenemeier, Scientific American, "IKEA-Building Robot Conquers Touchy-Feely Challenge," 18 Apr. 2018
Wins like that can be crucial for a team's confidence, but also can lead to a false sense of security.

— william guillory, NOLA.com, "Pelicans want to 'be greedy' in Game 2 vs. Trail Blazers," 16 Apr. 2018
That kind of service could be crucial for the success of CVS’s $68 billion merger with Aetna, which the companies have touted as a way to control medical costs.

— Bloomberg.com, "CVS Hires Doctor From Health Startup in Sign of Medical Ambition," 13 Apr. 2018
Strong stabilizing muscles are crucial for preventing injury, maximizing calorie burn, and balancing muscle training.

— brian maher, Philly.com, "Why you should re-think your machine-only workout," 10 Apr. 2018
Getting home-ice advantage could be crucial for the Ducks, who won their last seven games at Honda Center and were 14-1-2 in their last 17 home games.

— helene elliott, latimes.com, "What we learned from the Ducks' 3-0 victory over the Arizona Coyotes," 8 Apr. 2018
Those moments, though essentially shoehorned in, are crucial for the film to work.

— katie walsh, Detroit Free Press, "Review: ‘Blockers’ is a parents-gone-wild tale," 5 Apr. 2018
Those moments, though essentially shoehorned in, are crucial for the film to work.

— katie walsh, idahostatesman, "It’s parents gone wild in laugh-out-loud funny ‘Blockers’ | Idaho Statesman," 5 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'crucial.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of crucial

French, from Latin cruc-, crux cross

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1706

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

crucial Synonyms

Synonyms

critical, key, pivotal, vital;

Near Antonyms

inconsequential, insignificant, minor, trivial, unimportant;

basic, elementary, fundamental;

essential, indispensable, necessary, requisite;

pressing, urgent;

Synonym Discussion of crucial

acute, critical, crucial mean of uncertain outcome. acute stresses intensification of conditions leading to a culmination or breaking point.

- an acute housing shortage

critical adds to acute implications of imminent change, of attendant suspense, and of decisiveness in the outcome.

- the war has entered a critical phase

crucial suggests a dividing of the ways and often a test or trial involving the determination of a future course or direction.

- a crucial vote

CRUCIAL Defined for English Language Learners

crucial

adjective

Definition of crucial for English Language Learners

: extremely important

CRUCIAL Defined for Kids

crucial

adjective cru·cial \ ˈkrü-shəl \

Definition of crucial for Students

1 : being a final or very important test or decision : decisive

a crucial battle

2 : very important : significant

Water is a crucial element in our weather.

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Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for crucial Spanish Central: Translation of crucial Nglish: Translation of crucial for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of crucial for Arabic speakers

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crucial

Definition of crucial

Examples of crucial in a Sentence

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Origin and Etymology of crucial

crucial Synonyms

Synonyms

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Synonym Discussion of crucial

CRUCIAL Defined for English Language Learners

crucial

Definition of crucial for English Language Learners

CRUCIAL Defined for Kids

crucial

Definition of crucial for Students

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