all-important

adjective

all-im·​por·​tant ˌȯl-im-ˈpȯr-tᵊnt 

-tənt

: of very great or greatest importance

an all-important question

Synonyms

• critical
• essential
• imperative
• indispensable
• integral
• must-have
• necessary
• necessitous
• needed
• needful
• required
• requisite
• vital

Examples of all-important in a Sentence

that all-important item for a successful birthday party: a fancily decorated cake with candles

Recent Examples on the Web

Neither will feature totality, that all-important few minutes when all of the sun is blocked by the moon. —Jamie Carter, Forbes, 27 Dec. 2024

Advertisement Which is where music became all-important. —Tim Greiving, Los Angeles Times, 23 Dec. 2024

Situated just a game ahead of the Atlanta Falcons in the NFC South (with the Falcons owning the all-important tiebreaker), the Buccaneers need to keep winning (especially given that the Falcons play the hapless New York Giants on Sunday). —Jim Reineking, USA TODAY, 20 Dec. 2024

Over time, he’s expanded the project into books and public events where attendees share their secrets with the audience, breaking that all-important fourth wall of the project’s anonymity. —Longreads, 19 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1748, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

all-important

adjective

all-im·​por·​tant

ˌȯ-lim-ˈpȯrt-ᵊnt,

-ənt

: of very great importance

an all-important question