pivotal

adjective

piv·​ot·​al ˈpi-və-tᵊl 

1

: of, relating to, or constituting a pivot

2

: vitally important : critical

pivotally

ˈpi-və-tᵊl-ē 

adverb

Synonyms of pivotal

• crucial
• key
• critical
• vital

Examples of pivotal in a Sentence

She is at a pivotal point in her career.

the report was missing a pivotal piece of information

Recent Examples on the Web

The guard’s late-game work on the offensive glass and defensive contributions were pivotal for Boston. —Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 25 Apr. 2026

The April 7 announcement by Anthropic — that its new Mythos model was far more powerful and thus far more dangerous than any previous AI tool — increasingly appears to be a pivotal moment in human history. —U T Editorial Board, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Apr. 2026

Much of Gen Z missed out on pivotal years in the classroom or office during the pandemic, impacting their ability to socialize. —Rachel Hale, USA Today, 25 Apr. 2026

In doing so, Harper played an outsized role in helping the Spurs win a pivotal Game 3 without Victor Wembanyama. —Jeff McDonald, San Antonio Express-News, 25 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1838, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Kids Definition

pivotal

adjective

piv·​ot·​al ˈpiv-ət-ᵊl 

1

: of, relating to, or functioning as a pivot

2

: extremely important : critical

a pivotal discovery

pivotally

-ᵊl-ē 

adverb