Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of pivotal Senate Education chair One of the pivotal positions in the upcoming legislative session hasn't yet been named. Melissa Brown, The Tennessean, 21 Aug. 2025 Even with the election still a few years away, polling could offer insight into candidate viability, voter sentiment and evolving party dynamics, particularly after the pivotal 2024 election cycle. Anna Commander, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Aug. 2025 Estelle was born into a world swirling with change, a theme that would become so pivotal to her creative work, particularly her Parable series. Literary Hub, 19 Aug. 2025 Having delivered leadership programs to over 2,000 women across fifteen years, one insight remains constant: the role of leaders in shaping career trajectories is pivotal. Dr. Shaheena Janjuha-Jivraj, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for pivotal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pivotal
Adjective
  • Research from the Max Planck Society reveals a crucial difference between empathy and compassion.
    Sahar Andrade, Forbes.com, 14 Aug. 2025
  • That is a crucial step in the process to receive assistance from the Federal Emergency Managment Agency, or FEMA.
    Sarah Volpenhein, jsonline.com, 14 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Ullmann was a key figure in the remarkable musical life at the Theresienstadt camp.
    Jim Higgins, jsonline.com, 30 Aug. 2025
  • Trained by Brad Cox, the Godolphin runner continues to improve and owns both stamina and tactical speed — key weapons at this distance.
    Jared Welch, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • In addition to garnering widespread critical acclaim, the performance immediately soared across social media, generating tens of millions of views overnight.
    Ed Masley, AZCentral.com, 23 Aug. 2025
  • These countries act as more than just mere final destinations for shark meat consumption, operating as critical hubs that receive products from around the world, process them, and send them onward to other markets.
    Melissa Cristina Márquez, Forbes.com, 23 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Texture plays a vital role in so many of Kastman’s dishes.
    Rachel Bernhard, jsonline.com, 29 Aug. 2025
  • But the technician is also generating notes, adding comments, spotting patterns and collecting performance data that, over time, becomes a vital repository of institutional knowledge.
    Chris Turlica, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Pivotal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pivotal. Accessed 3 Sep. 2025.

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