crucially

adverb

cru·​cial·​ly ˈkrü-sh(ə-)lē How to pronounce crucially (audio)
1
: in a crucial manner
2
: very importantly

Examples of crucially in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
This specific technological moment is played crucially but lightly, gracefully, with a child’s-eye fanaticism for incidentals that anchor moments in memory. Richard Brody, New Yorker, 12 Apr. 2026 But, crucially, these artists aren’t necessarily moving to the left. Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 8 Apr. 2026 Timestamped, public, and—crucially—independent of established institutions. Nic Puckrin, Fortune, 2 Apr. 2026 Despite those proclamations, though, Iran has been able to launch attacks on its neighbors and, most crucially, effectively close off the strait. Jonathan Lemire, The Atlantic, 1 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for crucially

Word History

First Known Use

1879, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of crucially was in 1879

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Cite this Entry

“Crucially.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/crucially. Accessed 15 Apr. 2026.

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