Meaning & use

fulcrum

noun·Advanced

The fixed point on which a lever rests or pivots when it moves to lift or shift something.

See it in a sentence

The mechanic placed a block under the bar to act as a fulcrum while prying up the panel.

Trust became the fulcrum around which the entire negotiation turned.

A note on using this word

Fulcrum is a physics term for levers but is also used figuratively for the central point on which a situation or argument depends.

Words with a similar meaning

pivothinge point

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

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