crucial
adjective
cru·cial
| \ ˈkrü-shəl
\
\
Definition of crucial
1a
: important, significant
… what use we make of them will be the crucial question.— Stanley Kubrick Vitamins are crucial for maintaining good health.
b
: important or essential as resolving a crisis : decisive
She played a crucial role in the negotiations.
c
: marked by final determination of a doubtful issue
the crucial game of a series
Keep scrolling for more
Examples of crucial in a Sentence
Vitamins are crucial for maintaining good health.
It's crucial that we arrive before 8 o'clock.
Teachers are crucial to the success of the school.
She played a crucial role in the meeting.
See More
Recent Examples on the Web
The vote is considered crucial because a recent constitutional amendment has decentralized power so that provincial governors will now be elected directly, rather than appointed by the central government. — Washington Post, "Pope takes message of peace, reconciliation to Mozambique," 5 Sep. 2019 Please tell us why this coverage will be crucial to your state, any similar coverage that has been done before it, why this project has particular urgency now and a plan for executing the work. — ProPublica, "ProPublica Wants Pitches for State Government Investigations. Apply for a Spot in Our Local Reporting Network.," 3 Sep. 2019 That positive mindset proved crucial when, three days into the trip, just outside Flint, Michigan, a mechanical issue threw their journey into jeopardy. — Eliza Fawcett, chicagotribune.com, "Father and daughter ride tandem bike from Evanston to Toronto for the start of college," 1 Sep. 2019 Bolsonaro has argued with critics who note that the Amazon produces vast amounts of oxygen and is considered crucial for efforts to contain climate change. — Anchorage Daily News, "Brazil’s Bolsonaro causes global outrage over Amazon fires," 26 Aug. 2019 Bolsonaro has argued with critics who note that the Amazon produces vast amounts of oxygen and is considered crucial for efforts to contain climate change. — Time, "Outrage Over Bolsonaro's Handling of Amazon Fires Gets Personal With Jab at French First Lady," 26 Aug. 2019 Bolsonaro has previously described rainforest protections as an obstacle to economic development, sparring with critics who note that the Amazon produces vast amounts of oxygen and is considered crucial in efforts to contain global warming. — BostonGlobe.com, "Brazil’s Bolsonaro prepares to send army to contain Amazon fires," 23 Aug. 2019 No preseason game is more important than any other, but the Aug. 29 matchup against the Washington Redskins could prove the most crucial, especially with few starters expected to play. — Jonas Shaffer, baltimoresun.com, "Rising and falling: Eight Ravens on the move entering preseason game vs. Packers," 15 Aug. 2019 Support for that cause, so crucial to the Pac-12’s position on stage, is coming from a most unexpected, and influential, source. — Jon Wilner, The Mercury News, "The Pac-12 finds unlikely ally on a vital issue: Nick Saban’s in favor of tougher schedules," 15 Aug. 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'crucial.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Keep scrolling for more
Keep scrolling for more
More Definitions for crucial
crucial
adjective
English Language Learners Definition of crucial
: extremely important
See the full definition for crucial in the English Language Learners Dictionary
crucial
adjective
cru·cial
| \ ˈkrü-shəl
\
\
Kids Definition of crucial
1
: being a final or very important test or decision : decisive
a crucial battle
2
: very important : significant
Water is a crucial element in our weather.
Keep scrolling for more