cru ‧ cial W2 AC /ˈkruːʃ ə l/ BrE AmE adjective
[ Word Family: adverb : ↑ crucially ; adjective : ↑ crucial ]
[ Date: 1700-1800 ; Language: French ; Origin: 'cross-shaped' , from Latin crux ; ⇨ ↑ cross 2 ]
something that is crucial is extremely important, because everything else depends on it SYN vital
crucial to
This aid money is crucial to the government’s economic policies.
crucial in/to doing something
The work of monks was crucial in spreading Christianity.
play a crucial role/part in something
The city of Mycenae played a crucial role in the history of Greece.
The conservation of tropical forests is of crucial importance.
—crucially adverb
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ phrases
▪ play a crucial role/part in something
Parents play a crucial role in preparing their children for adult life.
▪ be of crucial importance
Good leadership is of crucial importance in motivating staff.
■ adverbs
▪ absolutely crucial
Technology has an absolutely crucial role in modern medicine.
■ verbs
▪ prove crucial (=be crucial)
His appointment was to prove crucial to the organization’s success.
▪ remain crucial
Logging remains crucial to the country’s economy.
▪ regard/consider something as crucial
The city was regarded as crucial to the area’s defence.
■ nouns
▪ a crucial factor/part/element
The cost of the project is the crucial factor.
▪ a crucial point
This was a crucial point in our relationship.
▪ a crucial question
She seemed to be trying to avoid the crucial question.
▪ a crucial issue
The study of consumer behaviour is a crucial issue in marketing.
▪ a crucial difference
There is a crucial difference between the British and American attitudes.
▪ a crucial moment/time
At the crucial moment, he withdrew the support of the army.
▪ a crucial stage
The peace talks are now at a crucial stage.
▪ a crucial decision/step
Choosing a career is a crucial decision to make.
▪ crucial information
The government did not publicize this crucial information.
▪ crucial evidence
The prosecution had forgotten one piece of crucial evidence.