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"pivotal" is also used as a crossword clue. If that's what you saw, the answer is often crucial (7 letters).
Definitions
being of crucial importance
Word origin
From pivot + -al.
Used in a sentence
“"Crucially, HS2 is already playing a pivotal role in helping Britain's post-pandemic economic recovery.”
Source: Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0
Used as a crossword answer1 curated clues
01“Crucial”7 letters
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