adj
vital
VEYE-tuhl
adj
1
Absolutely necessary; essential to success or survival.
"Clean water is vital for public health."
"Getting enough sleep is vital before an exam."
2
Relating to or necessary for staying alive.
"The bullet missed all his vital organs."
How to Use Vital
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither essential/critically important, or literally connected to keeping someone alive.
Common pairings
vital signs
vital organs
vitally important
play a vital role
Word Forms
more vital comparative, Vitals plural, most vital superlative
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Clean water is _____ for public health.
Etymology
From Latin vitalis, "of life, life-giving," from vita, "life."
Antonyms
Related Words
Rhymes for vital
digital
capital
recital
marital
orbital
genital
hospital
occipital
congenital
premarital
extramarital
See all rhymes for vital →