a pivotal effort

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a pivotal effort" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe an important or crucial attempt or endeavor in a particular context. Example: "The team made a pivotal effort to improve the project's outcome, which ultimately led to its success."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

RIO DE JANEIRO — About 3,000 police officers and soldiers moved into one of the largest slums here on Sunday in a pivotal effort by the government to assert control over lawless areas of the city ahead of the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Summer Olympics.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

It proved to be a crucial effort on a pivotal day of the campaign.

The Guardian - Sport

The effort is a pivotal test of his campaign promise to break the stranglehold of special interests.

The New York Times - Health

* Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, elected in 1994, had a pivotal role in the effort to oust Newt Gingrich as Speaker in the summer of 1997.

The New York Times

While union negotiators in New York and New England considered these concessions a pivotal victory in their effort to gain a foothold in high-technology industries, their counterparts in the mid-Atlantic region wrangled over local issues like cable splicers.

The New York Times

The signs are also a pivotal part of the effort to raise awareness of the river, said Bill Sheehan, the Hackensack Riverkeeper whose mission is to preserve and restore the Hackensack River through outreach and advocacy.

The New York Times

The attacks come at a pivotal point in the effort to retake control of Sirte, which militants seized in early 2015 and have sought to transform into an annex of its so-called caliphate.

The Washington Post

Mr. Wilcha plays a pivotal role in this effort, helping to form a team that, at least in his version of events, breaks down the territorial boundaries within the organization and thus breaks through to the hard-to-reach target audience.

The New York Times - Arts

This coalition of military leaders has played a pivotal role in the effort to restore compliance with the Geneva Conventions standard for treatment of prisoners.

Huffington Post

The American Law Institute played a pivotal role in the effort to design a capital sentencing scheme that comported with constitutional norms of due process and equal protection through its Model Penal Code.

Huffington Post

As the Chairwoman of Coalition for Cannabis Policy Reform (ReformCA), she plays a pivotal role in the effort to put recreational cannabis on the 2016 state ballot, and assuming such a measure would pass, legalization in the world's largest state economy would have global repercussions.

HuffPost

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "a pivotal effort" to describe initiatives that are critical for achieving a specific goal or turning point in a situation. It clearly conveys the importance and potential impact of the action.

Common error

Avoid using "a pivotal effort" to describe routine or minor tasks. The phrase should be reserved for situations where the outcome has significant consequences. Using it too frequently can dilute its impact.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a pivotal effort" functions as a noun phrase where the adjective "pivotal" modifies the noun "effort". Ludwig AI confirms that this usage is grammatically correct, serving to highlight the importance or critical nature of the action being described.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

65%

Academia

20%

Formal & Business

15%

Less common in

Science

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a pivotal effort" is a grammatically sound and effective phrase used to describe an action or undertaking that is crucial and potentially game-changing. As validated by Ludwig AI, its proper usage emphasizes significance and impact. It finds frequent application across news media, academic discourse, and formal business communications. Alternatives include "a crucial endeavor" and "a key undertaking". Remember to reserve this phrase for situations where the outcome truly hinges on the effort to maintain its impact and avoid overuse.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a crucial endeavor

Replaces "pivotal" with "crucial", emphasizing the importance of the effort.

a key undertaking

Substitutes "pivotal" with "key" and "effort" with "undertaking", highlighting the central nature of the activity.

an essential undertaking

Replaces "pivotal" with "essential", stressing the necessity of the effort.

a significant initiative

Changes "effort" to "initiative", suggesting a more proactive and strategic approach.

a vital campaign

Emphasizes the importance of the "effort" within a structured operation or series of actions.

a critical attempt

Focuses on the decisive nature of the "effort" as a test or experiment.

an important step

Highlights the progression and significance of the "effort" as part of a larger process.

a fundamental action

Stresses the basic and necessary nature of the "effort".

a game-changing attempt

Highlights the "effort's" potential to dramatically alter the current situation.

a decisive move

Emphasizes the finality and impact of the "effort" as a strategic decision.

FAQs

How can I use "a pivotal effort" in a sentence?

"A pivotal effort" is used to describe an action or undertaking that is crucial or decisive. For example, "The company's marketing campaign was a pivotal effort in boosting sales this quarter."

What are some alternatives to "a pivotal effort"?

You can use alternatives like "a crucial endeavor", "a key undertaking", or "a significant initiative" depending on the specific context.

Is it better to say "pivotal effort" or "important effort"?

"Pivotal effort" implies that the effort is a turning point or critical for success, whereas "important effort" simply indicates that the effort is significant. "Pivotal effort" carries a stronger sense of consequence and impact.

What makes something "a pivotal effort" instead of just a regular effort?

Something becomes "a pivotal effort" when it has the potential to dramatically change the course of events or significantly influence the outcome. It's not just any effort, but one with high stakes and a major impact.