pivotal decisions

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "pivotal decisions" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to refer to crucial or significant choices that have a major impact on a situation or outcome. Example: "The board faced several pivotal decisions that would determine the future of the company."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

21 human-written examples

But it is no longer where pivotal decisions are made.

The New York Times

After the crash Cameron and Osborne took two pivotal decisions that have defined their leadership.

The Guardian - Opinion

The failure also threatens to upset pivotal decisions in coming months, including those concerning the 2004 European budget.

The New York Times

The offense was ravaged by injuries, but it had become clear that Reid had got some pivotal decisions wrong in creating the offense.

The Guardian - Sport

Instead, historians say, the memos reveal the real-time intelligence that shaped pivotal decisions made in the Oval Office after the Bay of Pigs and through Vietnam.

The Guardian

"She makes all the pivotal decisions of her life on a whim, and I think her batting average is pretty good," Mr. Hawke said.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

36 human-written examples

And now, with its latest pivotal decision (which I guess isn't quite the same as calling them pivots), Hearsay has launched its Predictive Social Suite, going beyond social media tools by helping its clients track customers on their own websites and other channels.

TechCrunch

It proved to be the pivotal decision of the game.

The New York Times - Sports

"The world is standing up for the little guy with this pivotal decision.

The Guardian

She chose the latter, in what turned out to be a pivotal decision.

The Guardian

At the conclusion of Penn State's ensuing 60-yard scoring drive, Guman made another pivotal decision.

The New York Times - Sports

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "pivotal decisions", ensure the context clearly highlights the significant impact or turning point nature of those decisions. For instance, emphasize how these decisions altered the course of events or influenced future outcomes.

Common error

Avoid using "pivotal decisions" for routine choices that lack substantial impact. Reserve this phrase for situations where the decisions genuinely represent a turning point or have far-reaching consequences.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "pivotal decisions" functions as a noun phrase where the adjective "pivotal" modifies the noun "decisions". Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and usability. This phrase often emphasizes the significance and potential impact of choices made in critical situations.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

68%

Science

14%

Formal & Business

9%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "pivotal decisions" is a grammatically correct and commonly used expression to denote crucial choices that significantly impact outcomes. According to Ludwig AI, it’s usable in written English. Predominantly found in news and media sources, this phrase underscores the importance of certain decisions and their far-reaching consequences. While interchangeable with alternatives like "critical choices" or "key decisions", it's crucial to reserve its use for situations where the decisions truly mark a turning point. Employing "pivotal decisions" effectively highlights the significance and potential impact of the decisions under consideration.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

critical choices

Replaces "pivotal" with "critical", emphasizing the importance of the choices.

crucial decisions

Replaces "pivotal" with "crucial", highlighting the decisive impact of the decisions.

key decisions

Substitutes "pivotal" with "key", focusing on the essential nature of the decisions.

significant choices

Uses "significant" instead of "pivotal", underscoring the importance and potential consequences of the choices.

turning point decisions

Adds "turning point" to describe the decisions, emphasizing their role in altering the course of events.

momentous decisions

Replaces "pivotal" with "momentous", stressing the historical or lasting impact of the decisions.

game-changing decisions

Uses "game-changing" to illustrate how transformative the decisions are.

impactful decisions

Uses "impactful" to emphasize the potential of the decisions.

strategic decisions

Highlights the strategic aspect of the decisions, focusing on their alignment with overall goals.

life-altering decisions

Uses "life-altering" to describe decisions, stressing the impact on people's lives.

FAQs

How to use "pivotal decisions" in a sentence?

You can use "pivotal decisions" to describe crucial choices that significantly impact outcomes. For example: "The company's future hinged on a series of "pivotal decisions" made by the board."

What can I say instead of "pivotal decisions"?

You can use alternatives like "critical choices", "key decisions", or "crucial decisions" depending on the context.

What makes a decision "pivotal"?

A decision is considered "pivotal" when it acts as a turning point, fundamentally altering the direction or outcome of a situation. It carries significant weight and long-term consequences.

Are all important decisions considered "pivotal decisions"?

Not necessarily. While all pivotal decisions are important, not all important decisions are pivotal. "Pivotal decisions" specifically denote those that lead to a major shift or change, whereas other important decisions might simply maintain the status quo or optimize existing processes.