Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • adjective Of, relating to, or serving as a pivot.
  • adjective Being of vital or central importance; crucial.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • Of the nature of or forming a pivot; belonging to or constituting a pivot, or that upon which something turns or depends: as, a pivotal question; a pivotal State in an election.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • adjective Of or pertaining to a pivot or turning point; belonging to, or constituting, a pivot; of the nature of a pivot

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective of, relating to, or being a pivot
  • adjective being of crucial importance; central, key

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • adjective being of crucial importance

Etymologies

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Examples

  • MARY SNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Senator Joseph Lieberman thanked Hispanic clergymen for endorsing him in what he called a pivotal moment in his difficult campaign.

    CNN Transcript Nov 3, 2006 2006

  • SNOW (voice-over): Senator Joseph Lieberman thanked Hispanic clergymen for endorsing him in what he called a pivotal moment of his difficult campaign.

    CNN Transcript Nov 3, 2006 2006

  • SNOW (voice-over): Senator Joseph Lieberman thanked Hispanic clergymen for endorsing him in what he called a pivotal moment of his difficult campaign.

    CNN Transcript Nov 3, 2006 2006

  • Bob Sloan, a hedge fund risk management adviser at S3 Partners, said he was riveted by the television all day to watch what he described as a pivotal point for Wall Street.

    NYT > Home Page By ANDREW MARTIN 2010

  • Yet Professor Ali Mazrui's argument that if Africa is to jumpstart its pan African integration then some countries which he calls pivotal or development states should serve as a magnet for their neighbours is still relevant.

    Up Station Mountain Club 2008

  • Yet Professor Ali Mazrui's argument that if Africa is to jumpstart its pan African integration then some countries which he calls pivotal or development states should serve as a magnet for their neighbours is still relevant.

    Up Station Mountain Club 2008

  • Yet Professor Ali Mazrui's argument that if Africa is to jumpstart its pan African integration then some countries which he calls pivotal or development states should serve as a magnet for their neighbours is still relevant.

    Up Station Mountain Club 2008

  • Yet Professor Ali Mazrui's argument that if Africa is to jumpstart its pan African integration then some countries which he calls pivotal or development states should serve as a magnet for their neighbours is still relevant.

    Up Station Mountain Club 2008

  • By building strong statewide organizations, and by enacting popular policies that boost their party's image, governors can help their party's presidential candidate immeasurably, especially in pivotal swing states such as Ohio, Pennsylvania, Colorado and Florida.

    Ohio, Other States Flip to GOP Governors Stephanie Simon 2010

  • By building strong statewide organizations, and by enacting popular policies that boost their party's image, governors can help their party's presidential candidate immeasurably, especially in pivotal swing states such as Ohio, Pennsylvania, Colorado and Florida.

    Ohio, Other States Flip to GOP Governors Stephanie Simon 2010

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