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

The erudite Lookingglass, which featured famously good-looking actors and looked to such influences as the Pilobolus dance company and Cirque du Soleil, added a crucial third leg to the city’s cultural stool. —Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 19 Feb. 2026

July 23 – August 22 Thinking a few steps ahead could be crucial now. —Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 19 Feb. 2026

And that attention to detail includes the crucial Happy Sauce. —Michael Deeds, Idaho Statesman, 19 Feb. 2026

For Mizzou coach Dennis Gates, this was a product of Burns’ preparation heading into such a crucial game. —Joseph Pastilha, Kansas City Star, 19 Feb. 2026