linchpin

noun

linch·​pin ˈlinch-ˌpin How to pronounce linchpin (audio)
variants or less commonly lynchpin
1
: a locking pin inserted crosswise (as through the end of an axle or shaft)
2
: one that serves to hold together parts or elements that exist or function as a unit
the linchpin in the defense's case

Did you know?

In his 1857 novel, Tom Brown’s School Days, Thomas Hughes describes the “cowardly” custom of “taking the linch-pins out of the farmers’ and bagmens’ gigs at the fairs.” The linchpin in question held the wheel on the carriage, and removing it made it likely that the wheel would come off as the vehicle moved. Such a pin was called a lynis in Old English; Middle English speakers added pin to form lynspin. By the early 20th century, English speakers were using linchpin for anything as critical to a complex situation as a linchpin is to a wagon, as when Winston Churchill, in 1930, wrote of Canada and the role it played in the relationship between Great Britain and the United States, that “no state, no country, no band of men can more truly be described as the linchpin of peace and world progress.”

Examples of linchpin in a Sentence

This witness is the linchpin of the defense's case.
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.
The attendance of the CEO, as the linchpin of management, sends an unequivocal message across the ranks of the enterprise that cyber resilience is a vital part of the organization's vision, setting the right tone at the top. Phillimon Zongo, Forbes.com, 10 July 2025 The theater, which occupies a prominent corner on East Flagler, was long a linchpin of downtown’s life and economy. Andres Viglucci, Miami Herald, 26 June 2025 For nearly two centuries, the McAlpine locks and their predecessors have served as a linchpin of commerce on the Ohio River. Connor Giffin, The Courier-Journal, 9 July 2025 Now, however, the claim that the U.S. is under invasion has become the legal linchpin of President Donald Trump’s sweeping anti-immigrant campaign. Molly Redden, ProPublica, 23 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for linchpin

Word History

Etymology

Middle English lynspin, from lyns linchpin (from Old English lynis) + pin; akin to Middle High German luns linchpin

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of linchpin was in the 13th century

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Cite this Entry

“Linchpin.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/linchpin. Accessed 25 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

linchpin

noun
linch·​pin ˈlinch-ˌpin How to pronounce linchpin (audio)
: a pin inserted crosswise through something (as the end of an axle or shaft) to keep things in place
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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