crucial

IPA/ˈkruːʃl/
KK[krˈuʃəl]IPA/ˈkruːʃl/

crucial — adjective

  • crucialpositive
  • more crucialcomparative
  • most crucialsuperlative

1. extremely important because the result or success of something depends on it

1.adjectiveB2
Definition

extremely important because the result or success of something depends on it

Example

Aoi's contribution was crucial to the success of the science fair.

crucial to [noun phrase] — preposition pattern

Élise knew that getting enough sleep was crucial for exam performance.

crucial for [gerund/noun] — preposition pattern

Common collocations
  • crucial to
  • crucial for
  • crucial that
  • crucial role
  • crucial factor
  • crucial moment
  • crucial evidence
  • crucial decision
  • crucial step
  • crucial element
  • crucial point
  • crucial issue
  • play a crucial role in
  • of crucial importance
Synonyms
  • essential

    focuses on necessity rather than decisive importance; something you cannot do without

  • vital

    equally strong, but suggests something is needed to keep something alive or functioning

  • critical

    similar meaning, but can also mean 'involving harsh judgement' or 'at a turning point'

  • pivotal

    suggests something is the central point around which other things change or develop

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

crucial + to + noun / noun phrase

crucial + for + noun / gerund

it is crucial that + subject + verb (subjunctive)

find/consider + noun + crucial (object complement)

Usage Note

Common in the patterns 'crucial to [noun]' and 'crucial for [noun/gerund]', with little difference in meaning. The adverb crucially often modifies whole clauses: 'Crucially, the funding arrived on time.'

Common Mistakes

This issue is crucial important.
This issue is crucial.' or 'This issue is crucially important.
'crucial' is an adjective and cannot modify another adjective; use the adverb 'crucially' instead.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All four words describe something of great importance, but they highlight different aspects. Crucial emphasises that the success or failure of something depends on it — a crucial decision determines the outcome. Essential focuses on necessity: if something is essential, you cannot function or complete a task without it. Vital is the strongest, suggesting something is needed for life or continued existence; it carries a greater sense of urgency. Critical can mean the same as crucial, but it also has a separate meaning of 'expressing disapproval' or 'at a dangerous turning point', which can cause ambiguity. Pivotal is more specific: it describes something that is the central point around which other things turn, like a pivotal moment in history. For most everyday situations, crucial and essential are the safest choices. Example: 'Water is essential for life' (you need it); 'This is a crucial meeting' (the outcome matters); 'Her role was pivotal in the campaign' (everything centred on her).

essential ↗vital ↗critical ↗pivotal

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

  • absolutely crucial
  • vitally crucial
  • truly crucial
  • particularly crucial
  • especially crucial
  • increasingly crucial

Phrases

  • play a crucial role in
  • be of crucial importance
  • at a crucial moment
  • a crucial part of

Prepositions

  • crucial to
  • crucial for

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Crucial comes from the Latin word crux (meaning 'cross'). In the 1600s, the word referred to something shaped like a cross. By the 1800s, it took on the meaning of 'decisive' or 'critical', based on the metaphor of a crossroads — a point where a person must choose one path, and the choice determines everything that follows. The idea of a 'cross' or turning point is still at the heart of the modern meaning: something crucial is the point on which everything else turns.