crucial

[ kroo-shuhl ]

adjective

1. involving an extremely important decision or result; decisive; critical:

   a crucial experiment.

   Synonyms: significant, essential, vital, momentous

2. severe; trying.
3. of the form of a cross; cross-shaped.

crucial

/ ˈkruːʃəl /

adjective

1. involving a final or supremely important decision or event; decisive; critical
2. informal.
   very important
3. slang.
   very good

Derived Forms

• ˈcrucially, adverb

Other Words From

• cru·ci·al·i·ty [kroo-shee-, al, -i-tee, kroo-, shal, -], noun
• crucial·ly adverb
• non·crucial adjective
• non·crucial·ly adverb
• pre·crucial adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of crucial¹

First recorded in 1700–10; from Latin cruci- (stem of crux cross ( def ) ) + -al ¹( def )

Word History and Origins

Origin of crucial¹

C18: from French, from Latin crux cross

Example Sentences

All it needs is one more “pipe” to select and transmit the crucial information.

From The Daily Beast

During two years in Iranian custody, Abdolhamid provided crucial details of how Jundullah operated.

From The Daily Beast

Some pilots consider the infrared marker to be crucial to the close air-support mission to support ground troops.

From The Daily Beast

And some of the most compelling statements came from a powerful, crucial set of equality allies: corporations.

From The Daily Beast

From the looks of it, mistletoe is a keystone species and plays a crucial role in that forest ecosystem.

From The Daily Beast

A crucial question, very much affected by what the Admiral told me last night.

From Project Gutenberg

"I'm so very sorry," Anson said, slightly flustered, remembering that this was always the crucial moment in a sale.

From Project Gutenberg

Colonel Mildmay considered; they were approaching the crucial point, and he took his resolution.

From Project Gutenberg

Bernadotte moved slowly, and did not render his force effective at the crucial moment.

From Project Gutenberg

Some of my green men had funked just at the crucial moment, and I had all but shot one.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• bottom-line
• central
• compelling
• deciding
• decisive
• essential
• imperative
• momentous
• necessary
• pivotal
• pressing
• touchy
• urgent
• vital