How to Use linchpin in a Sentence

linchpin

noun
  • This witness is the linchpin of the defense's case.
  • Has that been a conscious linchpin that has drawn you to projects?
    — Todd Gilchrist, Variety, 21 Mar. 2025
  • Once again, the Terps’ five starters were the linchpins in the result.
    — Edward Lee, Baltimore Sun, 17 Feb. 2025
  • That's the linchpin of the state's plan, one that is largely unchanged since the spring.
    — Dave Boucher, Detroit Free Press, 2 Aug. 2021
  • His bat may be a linchpin for the Phillies this postseason.
    — Stephen J. Nesbitt, New York Times, 30 Sep. 2025
  • This time around, Narváez walked into the daylong event as a team linchpin.
    — Gabrielle Starr, Boston Herald, 11 Jan. 2026
  • Garrett Crochet was the linchpin of the win.
    — Gabrielle Starr, Boston Herald, 26 Mar. 2026
  • Embiid, when healthy, is the linchpin of the third-best defense.
    — Chris Fedor, cleveland.com, 7 Apr. 2018
  • The linchpin isn't just at risk; it's being actively pried loose.
    — Scott White, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2025
  • That’s really a key linchpin of our business — our faith.
    — Brian Womack, Dallas Morning News, 25 Mar. 2026
  • The growing Latino vote was a — maybe the — linchpin of this thinking.
    — Eric Garcia, Washington Post, 22 Mar. 2021
  • But understand this, that this industry is the linchpin of what heats in our homes and how the lights stay on.
    — Tim Dunn, Boston Herald, 24 June 2026
  • This is the linchpin of the whole series—who will be in charge once Logan kicks the bucket for good?
    — Carrie Wittmer, Harper's BAZAAR, 11 Aug. 2019
  • This is the linchpin of our community.
    — Nick Lunemann, CBS News, 24 Feb. 2026
  • Bob Weir was the quiet linchpin of the Grateful Dead.
    — The Week Us, TheWeek, 22 Jan. 2026
  • Will Hardy asks him to be a linchpin of the team, not a creator so much as a scoring connector.
    — Andy Larsen, The Salt Lake Tribune, 29 Nov. 2022
  • Cipher is the linchpin of this story, the question mark around which this season revolves.
    — Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 1 Oct. 2025
  • But the Nuggets need Porter to be as solid as a linchpin to keep their bandwagon rolling.
    — Mark Kiszla, The Denver Post, 1 July 2019
  • This is why Bowser feels like a linchpin of the Ravens’ offseason.
    — Childs Walker, baltimoresun.com, 8 Mar. 2021
  • The bar has all the haciendalike feels, and plays linchpin to the place’s dynamic.
    — Anna Caplan, star-telegram, 8 Feb. 2018
  • And then the final linchpin around that was the VMware spin transaction.
    — Mark Maurer, WSJ, 7 Mar. 2022
  • Mount takes the set pieces and is the creative linchpin linking Chelsea's midfield and attack.
    — Steve Douglas, Star Tribune, 28 May 2021
  • Davis, in Harrison’s view, was the linchpin of the Doncic trade.
    — Brad Townsend, Dallas Morning News, 4 Feb. 2026
  • Kamilla is really the linchpin to Rizo’s plan to stay.
    — Brian Moylan, Vulture, 26 Mar. 2026
  • The Model 3 is the linchpin in Musk’s plan to bring electric cars to the mainstream.
    — Dana Hull, The Seattle Times, 4 May 2017
  • Stern, 71, is a linchpin of SiriusXM.
    — Dade Hayes, Deadline, 16 Dec. 2025
  • For those keen to embrace the look, if not the actual lifestyle, what better entry point than the linchpin of it all?
    — Minty Mellon, Vogue, 9 Oct. 2025
  • The sedan is the linchpin to Musk’s effort to reach profitability and a wider swath of consumers.
    — Josh Eidelson, Bloomberg.com, 20 Apr. 2018
  • The linchpin is the Mountain Pass mine in the Mojave Desert.
    — Markos Kounalakis, Mercury News, 5 Mar. 2026
  • Looney was supposed to be the linchpin for the Golden State frontline in this series.
    — Andrew Sharp, SI.com, 7 June 2019

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'linchpin.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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