fulcrum

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/ˈfʊlkrəm/
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The point of support around which something turns.
Practice using fulcrum in conversation until it feels natural

Examples

  • Moving the fulcrum changed the force required.
  • For her, the move was the fulcrum of a new career.
  • The argument lacks a clear fulcrum.
  • Water access is the fulcrum of the dispute.
  • Trust became the fulcrum of the debate.

Similar words

linchpin
pivot point
centerpiece
support point
pivot

Meanings

Central point on which an outcome depends

noun
abstract
formal
The person, issue, or event that holds a situation together or makes it turn in a new direction.

Examples

  • Trust became the fulcrum of the debate.
  • The vote is the fulcrum on which the reform turns.
  • For her, the move was the fulcrum of a new career.
  • Water access is the fulcrum of the dispute.
  • The argument lacks a clear fulcrum.

Similar words

pivot
centerpiece
linchpin

Support point of a lever

noun
physics
technical
The fixed point that supports a lever while the lever turns around it.

Examples

  • Place the fulcrum near the heavy end of the lever.
  • The beam rotated around its fulcrum.
  • Moving the fulcrum changed the force required.
  • A stone served as the fulcrum for the bar.
  • The lever will slip if its fulcrum is unstable.

Similar words

pivot point
support point

Etymology

From Latin fulcrum, a support, related to a verb meaning to prop up. Its mechanical use became a model for a central point in a situation.

FAQ

What does fulcrum mean?

A fulcrum is a central support or turning point.

When is fulcrum used?

In debate or politics, it names the issue on which the outcome depends.

How does fulcrum differ from pivot?

A pivot is any turning point, while a fulcrum especially suggests support and leverage.

How is fulcrum used in a sentence?

Trust became the fulcrum of the debate.

Is fulcrum formal?

The regular plural is fulcrums, and the Latin plural fulcra is also used.

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