Synonyms of crucial

crucial

adjective

ˈkrü-shəl 

as in key

of the greatest possible importance

water is crucial to our survival

Synonyms & Similar Words

• key
• critical
• vital
• pivotal
• essential
• fundamental
• necessary
• basic
• decisive
• elementary
• life-or-death
• instrumental
• life-and-death
• urgent
• requisite
• indispensable
• pressing
• weighty

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• minor
• unimportant
• insignificant
• trivial
• inconsequential

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective crucial contrast with its synonyms?

The words acute and critical are common synonyms of crucial. While all three words mean "of uncertain outcome," 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

Where would acute be a reasonable alternative to crucial?

While the synonyms acute and crucial are close in meaning, acute stresses intensification of conditions leading to a culmination or breaking point.

an acute housing shortage

How are the words critical and acute related as synonyms of crucial?

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

the war has entered a critical phase

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of crucial

Carlen believes this opens a crucial frontier for interdisciplinary research, especially in cities like Los Angeles, where uneven geographies, biodiversity and political decisions intersect daily. —Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2025

Cloudflare's system could also threaten web projects like The Internet Archive, which notably played a crucial role in helping track data deleted from government websites after Donald Trump took office. —ArsTechnica, 9 July 2025

And many emergency management experts and state disaster response officials say that FEMA plays a crucial role that state governments cannot fill. —Rebecca Hersher, NPR, 9 July 2025

With excitement growing over his pace and death-bowling abilities in the crucial latter stages of an innings — ramped up after a final-over hat-trick against Middlesex in the Twenty20 Blast — England fast-tracked him. —Max Mathews, New York Times, 9 July 2025