pivotal work

USAGE SUMMARY

"pivotal work" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use this term to refer to something that is critical to the success of a project or goal. For example, "The report was a pivotal work in demonstrating the viability of the venture."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

57 human-written examples

La Caduta (1697) is a pivotal work, bridging Scarlatti's middle and late stylistic periods.

Harvard University

On May 16, Mr. Bush called Mr. Grassley to thank him for his pivotal work on the tax cut.

The New York Times

The library has spent £83,000 on this pivotal work in the development of the Italian Futurist art movement.

The Guardian - Books

Concurrently, HR introduced analyses of the pivotal work roles, such as strategic roles, core roles and support roles.

Harvard Business Review

However, he later claimed to regret his decision and to dislike the resulting score, though it was a pivotal work in his output.

The Guardian - Music

That's what makes it the pivotal work in Botticelli Reimagined, a document of modernity's queer relationship with this 15th century artist.

The Guardian

That sense of something at once utterly obvious and mysteriously fraught with meaning animates the pivotal work in Mr. Koons's career: "Rabbit," from 1986.

The New York Times - Arts

Here, an opening in the wall discloses a distant view of Picasso's "Desmoiselles d'Avignon," a pivotal work in the decomposition of classical order.

The New York Times - Arts

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

3 human-written examples

To explain why, I first need to explain how Pivotal works.

Harvard Business Review

"Matisse said it was one of the most pivotal works in his career," Ms. D'Alessandro said in an interview.

The New York Times - Arts

Directed by Jose Quintero, he placed his signature firmly on plays that have come to be considered pivotal works of the Nobel Prize-winning playwright.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "pivotal work" when you want to emphasize the critical importance of a specific task, project, or contribution to a larger goal. It highlights that the outcome significantly influences subsequent actions or results.

Common error

Avoid using "pivotal work" to describe routine tasks or contributions that have minimal impact. Reserve it for truly transformative or crucial endeavors to maintain its weight and significance.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "pivotal work" functions as a noun phrase, where the adjective "pivotal" modifies the noun "work". It often serves to highlight the importance and criticality of a particular task or endeavor. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

37%

Science

33%

Academia

15%

Less common in

Wiki

6%

Encyclopedias

2%

Formal & Business

7%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "pivotal work" denotes a task, project, or contribution of critical importance, significantly influencing subsequent actions or results. It is grammatically correct, as confirmed by Ludwig AI, and is frequently used across a variety of contexts, including news, science, and academia. When using this term, it's best to reserve it for endeavors with truly transformative or crucial impacts to maintain its weight and significance. Alternatives like "essential work" and "crucial work" can be used depending on the context. Ludwig examples show that this expression is quite common.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

essential work

Replaces "pivotal" with "essential", emphasizing necessity.

crucial work

Substitutes "pivotal" with "crucial", highlighting decisiveness.

key undertaking

Replaces "work" with "undertaking", suggesting a project or task.

significant project

Changes "pivotal work" to "significant project", focusing on impact and importance.

cornerstone effort

Replaces "pivotal work" with "cornerstone effort", emphasizing foundational nature.

foundational endeavor

Uses "endeavor" instead of "work", suggesting a more ambitious or complex task, while "foundational" emphasizes importance.

central contribution

Shifts focus to the impact, using "contribution" instead of "work", but still maintains an emphasis on importance.

critical accomplishment

Emphasizes the completion of something important, replacing work with accomplishment.

indispensable task

Highlights that something is absolutely necessary.

instrumental activity

Focuses on the action and its impact, signifying usefulness.

FAQs

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

Use "pivotal work" to describe a specific task, project, or contribution that is critically important to the success of a broader goal. For example, "Her research was a "pivotal work" in understanding the disease."

What are some alternatives to "pivotal work"?

Depending on the specific context, you can use alternatives such as "essential work", "crucial work", or "significant project".

Is "pivotal work" formal or informal?

"Pivotal work" can be used in both formal and informal contexts, but it is generally more appropriate for professional or academic writing where precision and impact are emphasized.

What makes something a "pivotal work"?

A "pivotal work" is characterized by its critical role in influencing subsequent actions or results. It is something that significantly contributes to the achievement of a larger goal.