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
• essential
• pivotal
• fundamental
• necessary
• basic
• decisive
• elementary
• instrumental
• urgent
• requisite
• life-and-death
• 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

Maintain the battery Keeping the battery charged to its proper voltage is crucial to starting the engine. —Keenan Thompson, USA Today, 9 Jan. 2026

Those care centers were crucial to his survival at the time. —Gillian Telling, PEOPLE, 9 Jan. 2026

The Hurricanes made other mistakes at crucial times that sapped momentum. —Adam Lichtenstein, Sun Sentinel, 9 Jan. 2026

That’s why financial guarantees, low-cost financing, reimbursements or other incentives may prove crucial to attracting oil companies to Venezuela. —David Goldman, CNN Money, 9 Jan. 2026