VITAL Synonyms: 335 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How is the word 'vital' different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of vital are cardinal , essential , and fundamental . While all these words mean "so important as to be indispensable," vital suggests something that is necessary to a thing's continued existence or operation. // cut off from vital supplies

Q: When might 'cardinal' be a better fit than 'vital'?

In some situations, the words cardinal and vital are roughly equivalent. However, cardinal suggests something on which an outcome turns or depends. // a cardinal rule in buying a home

Q: When can 'essential' be used instead of 'vital'?

While the synonyms essential and vital are close in meaning, essential implies belonging to the very nature of a thing and therefore being incapable of removal without destroying the thing itself or its character. // conflict is essential in drama

Q: Where would 'fundamental' be a reasonable alternative to 'vital'?

While in some cases nearly identical to vital , fundamental applies to something that is a foundation without which an entire system or complex whole would collapse. // fundamental principles of algebra

vital

adjective

ˈvī-tᵊl

Definition of vital next

as in energetic

having active strength of body or mind a man who remained vital well into his 90s

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in active

having much high-spirited energy and movement the child is vital and active again after being sick

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in essential

impossible to do without I forgot one vital ingredient, and now the biscuits taste strange

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in lethal

likely to cause or capable of causing death received a vital wound in the abdomen

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in crucial

of the greatest possible importance a matter that is vital to our national security

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in refreshing

having a renewing effect on the state of the body or mind after the long, dreary winter, we welcomed the vital rays of the summer sun

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word vital different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of vital are cardinal, essential, and fundamental. While all these words mean "so important as to be indispensable," vital suggests something that is necessary to a thing's continued existence or operation.

cut off from vital supplies

When might cardinal be a better fit than vital?

In some situations, the words cardinal and vital are roughly equivalent. However, cardinal suggests something on which an outcome turns or depends.

a cardinal rule in buying a home

When can essential be used instead of vital?

While the synonyms essential and vital are close in meaning, essential implies belonging to the very nature of a thing and therefore being incapable of removal without destroying the thing itself or its character.

conflict is essential in drama

Where would fundamental be a reasonable alternative to vital?

While in some cases nearly identical to vital, fundamental applies to something that is a foundation without which an entire system or complex whole would collapse.

fundamental principles of algebra

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of vital As the most discerning, up-to-the-minute voice in all things travel, Condé Nast Traveler is the global citizen’s bible and muse, offering both inspiration and vital intel. —

Natalie Hammond, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Jan. 2026 While at IndieWire’s Dropbox studio, Jess Engel spoke about the vital role Frilot’s programming played in her own career. —

Chris O'Falt, IndieWire, 30 Jan. 2026 China has long dominated the rare earths market , and produces 67% of the world’s germanium, a vital component in developing military imaging, fiber optic communications and solar cells, Canaccord analyst Austin Moeller wrote in a 33-page report. —

Davis Giangiulio, CNBC, 29 Jan. 2026 Katharine’s research on harmless oxygen and nitrogen, the main components of air, paved the way for two vital advances for filter design. —

Natalia Sánchez Loayza, Scientific American, 29 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for vital

Recent Examples of Synonyms for vital

Adjective

His interests reflect both his creativity and his energetic spirit.

— MARE Staff, Boston Herald, 25 Jan. 2026
Some 35 times more energetic than any neutrino seen before, the particle might have shot out from a highly active galaxy — a blazar — or a background source of cosmogenic high-energy particles that scientists suspect pervade the cosmos.

— Quanta Magazine, Quanta Magazine, 23 Jan. 2026

Definition of energetic

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visuals

vital

vitality

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“Vital.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vital. Accessed 3 Feb. 2026.

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Last Updated: 31 Jan 2026 - Updated example sentences

Synonyms of vital

adjective

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