play a crucial role/part in something• Clearly, within particular realms of human experience they may play crucial roles inassistingindividuals and groups to achieve their ends.• More importantly, this interaction is now playing a crucial part inexcluding the underclass from the mainstream of society.• Telecommunications play a crucial role in information technology.• They are already playing a crucial role inmultimedia design and development.• Biomedical scientists deal with 100mpathologytests a year, playing a crucial role in the diagnosis and treatment of disease.• Might not some essentialaspects of quantumtheory also be playing crucial roles in the physics that underlies our thought processes?• The advancedmilitary technology expertise of Shorts Brothers in Belfast played a crucial role in the war - for both sides.
Origincrucial
(1700-1800)French“cross-shaped”, from Latincrux; → CROSS2