as in crucial
of the greatest possible importance
the report was missing a pivotal piece of information
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pivotal
The teams traded three-and-outs after but the Hornets snatched momentum back thanks to Sanders’ pivotal play.
—
Greg Dudek, Boston Herald, 25 Oct. 2025
He was known to save everything and stood at the intersection of some pivotal moments in football history.
—Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 24 Oct. 2025
Originally published in 1959, the book is widely regarded as a portrait of a pivotal moment in the entertainment industry.
—Madison E. Goldberg, PEOPLE, 24 Oct. 2025
Two pivotal dates lie just ahead.
—Evan Mealins, Nashville Tennessean, 24 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pivotal
Greg Dudek, Boston Herald, 25 Oct. 2025
He was known to save everything and stood at the intersection of some pivotal moments in football history.
—Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 24 Oct. 2025
Originally published in 1959, the book is widely regarded as a portrait of a pivotal moment in the entertainment industry.
—Madison E. Goldberg, PEOPLE, 24 Oct. 2025
Two pivotal dates lie just ahead.
—Evan Mealins, Nashville Tennessean, 24 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pivotal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pivotal
Adjective
-
That’s why career development conversations play such a crucial role.—
Fortune Editors,
Fortune,
23 Oct. 2025
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That Episode 5 car ride is arguably the series’ most crucial scene, and the dialogue about the vagrant bird its most poignant.—
Chris O'Falt,
IndieWire,
23 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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These storms can also damage key technological infrastructure, such as by interfering with the flow of electricity in the power grid and causing transformers to overheat and fail.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
24 Oct. 2025
-
Free transfers are the key currency in Fantasy Premier League, meaning any moves in the game have to be measured.—
Holly Shand,
New York Times,
23 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Black Americans were at a critical juncture.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Oct. 2025
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After the war, Riefenstahl’s career included invitations to film festivals and critical praise, a lovely lake home in Bavaria, and snarling attacks on anyone who questioned her lies.—
Sally Jenkins,
The Atlantic,
27 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Corn can provide carbohydrates, which can be vital to deer during the winter for a burst of energy, Edge said, but an increase in carbs can disrupt the animal's gut chemistry and affect digestion, much like giving children a lot of candy bars.—
Craig Shoup,
Nashville Tennessean,
27 Oct. 2025
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The war over which side gets to run the resource-rich nation that sits at the vital crossroads between North Africa, the Sahel, the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea has not been happening in a vacuum.—
NPR,
NPR,
27 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pivotal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pivotal. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
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