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

Other Word Forms

• crucially adverb
• cruciality noun
• noncrucial adjective
• noncrucially adverb
• precrucial 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

And there was another crucial change – instead of putting their rubbish out on the street in plastic bags, now most New Yorkers are obliged to put their waste in rat-proof bins.

From BBC

But the greatest difficulty proved to be activating yeast — a tricky yet crucial step when making leavened bread and similar baked goods.

From Salon

Burnham knew that he would be asked questions about his national ambitions, and that they would create a stir in the days before a crucial party conference for Starmer.

From BBC

Looking to next year's Holyrood election, he says politicians need to acknowledge that the education sector is going to be crucial to the success of the Scottish economy.

From BBC

"If we are to move forward, the apology is crucial," she said.

From BBC

Related Words

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

When To Use

What does crucial mean?

Crucial means extremely important or involving an extremely important decision or course of action. Close synonyms are critical and decisive.The word crucial is usually used to describe pivotal moments, choices, or actions that will affect everything that follows, as in We’re at a crucial point in the process—we need to make some big decisions. Sometimes, crucial is simply used to describe something that’s extremely important, as in Getting enough sleep is crucial for staying healthy.  Example: I can’t express how absolutely crucial it is to surround yourself with the right friends.