pivotal

adjective

piv·​ot·​al ˈpi-və-tᵊl How to pronounce pivotal (audio)
1
: of, relating to, or constituting a pivot
2
: vitally important : critical
pivotally adverb

Examples of pivotal in a Sentence

She is at a pivotal point in her career. the report was missing a pivotal piece of information
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Moore played a pivotal role in crafting one of the NFL's top rushing offenses this season, propelling Saquon Barkley to being the league's top rusher and within spitting distance of the all-time record. Dan Perry, Newsweek, 31 Jan. 2025 Even as the conspiracists grew more and more fanciful, wellness was always a pivotal part of their message. Stephanie McNeal, Glamour, 31 Jan. 2025 Three of President Donald Trump's most polarizing secretary nominees ‒ Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Tulsi Gabbard and Kash Patel ‒ face a grilling from lawmakers during a pivotal day of Senate confirmation hearings Thursday. Joey Garrison, USA TODAY, 31 Jan. 2025 Individuals including atomic physicist Rudolf Ladenburg and Nobel-winning physicist James Franck – both of whom, like Einstein, left Germany for the United States in the early 1930s – also played pivotal parts. Barbara Spindel, The Christian Science Monitor, 30 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for pivotal 

Word History

First Known Use

1838, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of pivotal was in 1838

Dictionary Entries Near pivotal

Cite this Entry

“Pivotal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pivotal. Accessed 3 Feb. 2025.

Kids Definition

pivotal

adjective
piv·​ot·​al ˈpiv-ət-ᵊl How to pronounce pivotal (audio)
1
: of, relating to, or functioning as a pivot
2
: extremely important : critical
a pivotal discovery
pivotally adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on pivotal

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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