pivotal support

USAGE SUMMARY

"pivotal support" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
It generally refers to important assistance that helps to achieve something significant. For example: "The financial contribution from our donors was pivotal in supporting the completion of the project."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

11 human-written examples

Nor did Mr. Bush win Mexico's pivotal support in the Security Council vote on Iraq.

The New York Times

Many also complained that Mr. Bush had betrayed their cause by providing pivotal support for Senator Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania, a moderate Republican, in a primary challenge by Representative Pat Toomey, a conservative supported by the club, participants said.

The New York Times

She guessed she has knocked on about 4,000 doors this summer, defending her pivotal support for new laws that require background checks on private gun sales and limit ammunition magazines to 15 rounds.

The New York Times

Skelton said Huizar has picked up pivotal support from the city's firefighter union and scores of leaders in his district, which stretches from Boyle Heights to Eagle Rock.

Los Angeles Times

Apart from showing the instrumental skills of the various members, I think the songwriting from John and myself provides pivotal support for the arrangements to build from.

Huffington Post

"Selma" was caught up in a controversy in recent weeks over its portrayal of President Johnson, with some scholars and former aides saying the film shortchanged his pivotal support of civil rights.

Los Angeles Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

49 human-written examples

It's a pivotal supporting role.

The Guardian - Film

Be it as a movie-screen admiral in The Hunt for Red October, or as a pivotal supporting player in the real-life Watergate drama, or as a candidate seeking the very top job in a 2008 White House bid, the basic persona never changed.

Independent

Ding also used gimbals as pivotal supports for one of his incense burners and invented the world's first known zoetrope lamp.

Wikipedia

However, landscape architect Dan Kiley is never once credited, though his landscapes are frequently the movie's pivotal "supporting actors" along with the buildings for which they were seamlessly designed.

HuffPost

We also argue that the design of an efficient fixpoint algorithm is pivotal to supporting the analysis of large programs.

Electronic Notes in Theoretical Computer Science

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "pivotal support", ensure the context clearly demonstrates the significant impact of that support on the outcome being discussed. For example, instead of saying 'The project received pivotal support', specify what that support entailed and how it influenced the project's success.

Common error

Avoid using "pivotal support" when the support is merely helpful but not fundamentally game-changing. Overusing the phrase dilutes its impact; reserve it for situations where the support truly makes a decisive difference.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "pivotal support" functions as a noun phrase where the adjective "pivotal" modifies the noun "support", emphasizing its critical or essential nature. Ludwig AI indicates this phrase is correct and usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

34%

Science

38%

Formal & Business

6%

Less common in

Wiki

6%

Academia

3%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "pivotal support" is a grammatically sound phrase used to emphasize the critical importance of assistance. Ludwig AI confirms its usability, noting it describes assistance that is essential for achieving significant outcomes. While more common in news, media, and scientific contexts, its formality ranges from neutral to professional, making it versatile across various writing styles. For alternative expressions, consider "crucial assistance", "key backing", or "vital aid" to provide nuanced variations while retaining the core meaning of "pivotal support".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

crucial assistance

Replaces 'pivotal' with 'crucial', highlighting the critical importance of the aid.

key backing

Substitutes 'pivotal' with 'key' and 'support' with 'backing', indicating essential endorsement.

vital aid

Uses 'vital' instead of 'pivotal' and 'aid' instead of 'support', stressing the indispensable nature of the help.

essential contribution

Replaces the phrase to emphasize the crucial contribution made.

critical reinforcement

Changes 'support' to 'reinforcement' and 'pivotal' to 'critical', stressing the strengthening aspect.

indispensable assistance

Highlights that the assistance is absolutely necessary.

fundamental backing

Indicates the support is basic and necessary.

cornerstone of aid

Metaphorically presents the aid as the base upon which everything depends.

significant contribution

Emphasizes the substantial and meaningful nature of the contribution.

instrumental assistance

Highlights the role of the help as a key instrument in achieving success.

FAQs

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

You can use "pivotal support" to describe assistance that is crucial to the success of something. For example, "The community's donations provided "pivotal support" for the new library project".

What are some alternatives to saying "pivotal support"?

Alternatives include phrases like "crucial assistance", "key backing", or "vital aid", depending on the nuance you want to convey.

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

"Pivotal support" suggests the support was essential and game-changing, while "important support" simply indicates significance. The better choice depends on the actual impact of the support.

What does "pivotal support" imply about the impact of the support?

Using "pivotal support" implies that the assistance provided was not just helpful, but fundamentally necessary for achieving a specific outcome or goal. It suggests a decisive influence.