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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 Wood sees these questions as vital for youth struggling with uncertainty. Matthew Kayser, USA Today, 6 Oct. 2025 With it, Pierpaolo explores the space between fabric and body, where the air between them becomes a third dimension and a vital component of their construction to create bold and unexpected shapes. Alex Wynne, Footwear News, 5 Oct. 2025 AlixPartners co-CEOs David Garfield and Rob Hornby were promoted to lead the 2,500-person global consulting firm in February, but previously had worked together for some 14 years, which both say was vital. Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 5 Oct. 2025 Be patient at the airport, as the people serving passengers are doing vital work under difficult conditions. Michael Salerno, AZCentral.com, 4 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for vital
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vital
Adjective
  • Alvarado has become Colombia's most energetic proponent of the technique.
    John Otis, NPR, 5 Oct. 2025
  • Patterson is energetic and fun here.
    Andy Hoglund, Entertainment Weekly, 5 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • The clock change allows the hour of daylight to stay coordinated with the time most people are active outside.
    Jenna Prestininzi, Freep.com, 6 Oct. 2025
  • Bohm, who wasn’t active for that matchup, drew a leadoff walk to start the second inning by waiting on a full-count fastball.
    Charlotte Varnes, New York Times, 5 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Caroline Ervin, landscape designer and owner of The Georgetown Garden Shop, told shrubs that produce berries in the fall are especially valuable during migration season, offering essential nutrition to birds in need of high-fat, energy-rich foods.
    Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Oct. 2025
  • Cross-cultural exchanges were also essential to the project.
    Tianwei Zhang, Footwear News, 1 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Tennessee law holds that those who committed crimes before 1999 can choose between being put to death by lethal injection or the electric chair.
    Evan Mealins, Nashville Tennessean, 3 Oct. 2025
  • And of course 100% lethal to the child.
    Jordan King, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • The specific demands of the Singapore Grand Prix, one of the hottest and most physically gruelling races on the F1 calendar, made the grid’s preparations in the past week or so that bit more crucial, with a ‘heat hazard’ now declared for the race.
    Luke Smith, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2025
  • Utility executives and analysts have said clean energy projects are crucial to help power new data centers and factories, because they can be built quickly and produce electricity that is relatively cheap.
    Michael Copley, NPR, 2 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • These easy fall plant swaps are perfect for refreshing tired summer pots and creating long-lasting displays with minimal effort.
    Cameron Beall, Southern Living, 4 Oct. 2025
  • For die-hard fans, this isn’t the time to sit at home refreshing scores on your phone.
    Tiffany Acosta, AZCentral.com, 3 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Tourists are still enjoying Michigan's lineup of dynamic fall events amid Apple Month and Michigan Agritourism Month this October and are flexible to changing fall color patterns, said Nick Nerbonne, media and digital director for Travel Michigan.
    Jenna Prestininzi, Freep.com, 3 Oct. 2025
  • Best Mixed Use Magnet Toy The magic of Magna-Tiles meets the thrill of racing with this dynamic expansion pack.
    Emily Glover, Parents, 2 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Throughout an offseason devoted to expansive training, that spirit was on full display — including during the lively knockout games at Prentiss’ gym.
    Vincent Z. Mercogliano, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2025
  • Discussions about the fast-changing international TV distribution market are ten-a-penny at industry conferences, but the group made a lively and worthwhile contribution to the pantheon.
    Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 1 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Vital.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vital. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on vital

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