crucial
KROO-shuladjMeaning extremely important; deciding how things turn out
Memory hook CRUC = CROSS: the CROSSROADS choice. At the crossroads, one sign points home and the other points to the swamp. Choosing the right road is crucial!
Getting enough sleep is crucial the night before a big test.
In context The last-second catch was crucial: without it, the other team would have scored and won the championship.
Similar vital, critical, essential, key
Opposite unimportant, trivial, minor
From Latin crux, “cross,” through the idea of a crossroads, where a traveler must choose the right way.