adj
pivotal
PIH-vih-tuhl
adj
1
Extremely important; central to how something turns out.
"Her testimony was pivotal in winning the case."
"The invention of the printing press was a pivotal moment in history."
How to Use Pivotal
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishSo important that everything else depends on it.
Common pairings
pivotal role
pivotal moment
pivotal decision
Word Forms
more pivotal comparative, most pivotal superlative
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Her testimony was _____ in winning the case.
Etymology
From "pivot" plus the adjective suffix "-al" — literally, something a situation turns on.