pivotal

adjective

piv·​ot·​al ˈpi-və-tᵊl How to pronounce pivotal (audio)
Synonyms of pivotal
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.
And then—in a pivotal moment featured in all the trailers—Margaret starts her live weather report, only to lapse into an alien language on air. Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 13 June 2026 Daniel Day-Lewis brings to life one of the most pivotal moments in the 16th president's time in the White House. Chris Nashawaty, Entertainment Weekly, 13 June 2026 Punk and Rhodes notably left WWE, went to AEW and then returned to WWE years later only to play pivotal roles in the company’s revitalization over the past few years. Blake Oestriecher, Forbes.com, 12 June 2026 In any event, the disruption is pivotal. Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 11 June 2026 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pivotal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pivotal. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.

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

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