as in crucial
of the greatest possible importance
the report was missing a pivotal piece of information
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pivotal
For some historical context, Tacna played a pivotal role in The War of the Pacific, in which Peru was defeated by Chile in 1883.
—
Anna Marie De La Fuente, Variety, 11 June 2025
Weinstein’s initial conviction five years ago seemed to cement the downfall of one of Hollywood’s most powerful men in a pivotal moment for the #MeToo movement.
—Jennifer Peltz, Chicago Tribune, 11 June 2025
In the 2024 season, Smith emerged as a pivotal weapon in Miami’s offense, setting franchise records for a tight end with 88 receptions, 884 receiving yards, and eight touchdowns.
—Kaitlyn Pohly, Miami Herald, 10 June 2025
Competing for the pivotal center position are Carter Miller and Cameron Kinnie, both vying to distinguish themselves and seize this critical spot in the lineup.
—Matt Murschel, The Orlando Sentinel, 31 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for pivotal
Anna Marie De La Fuente, Variety, 11 June 2025
Weinstein’s initial conviction five years ago seemed to cement the downfall of one of Hollywood’s most powerful men in a pivotal moment for the #MeToo movement.
—Jennifer Peltz, Chicago Tribune, 11 June 2025
In the 2024 season, Smith emerged as a pivotal weapon in Miami’s offense, setting franchise records for a tight end with 88 receptions, 884 receiving yards, and eight touchdowns.
—Kaitlyn Pohly, Miami Herald, 10 June 2025
Competing for the pivotal center position are Carter Miller and Cameron Kinnie, both vying to distinguish themselves and seize this critical spot in the lineup.
—Matt Murschel, The Orlando Sentinel, 31 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for pivotal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pivotal
Adjective
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Memphis fell in the standings toward the end of the year, and this offseason was already going to be a crucial one.—
Matt Levine,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 June 2025
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Victor Olofsson injected crucial secondary scoring (15 goals in 56 games) at a dirt-cheap $1.075 million rate.—
Harman Dayal,
New York Times,
15 June 2025
Adjective
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The loss extended their losing streak to a season-high five games and cost them a series win over a key divisional opponent.—
Abbey Mastracco,
New York Daily News,
19 June 2025
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Energy is in the spotlight in this conflict due to Iran's status as the world's ninth largest oil producer and its proximity to the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping lane in and out of the Persian Gulf.—
Jesse Pound,
CNBC,
18 June 2025
Adjective
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The tools are critical to making advanced GPUs at scale and cost-effectively.—
Dylan Butts,
CNBC,
12 June 2025
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Iranian hackers have also intensified cyberattacks on Israel's critical infrastructure, such as water and energy systems, signaling a growing focus on cyber warfare as a key method of retaliation.—
Amir Daftari,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 June 2025
Adjective
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That’s part of what makes F1 feel so vital, and so fun.—
Stephanie Zacharek,
Time,
17 June 2025
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Increasing disabled people’s ability to communicate with others is probably the most vital—and exciting—sector in accessibility today.—
Alan Schwarz,
Forbes.com,
17 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pivotal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pivotal. Accessed 21 Jun. 2025.
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