play a vital role

Meaning

This expression means to be extremely important, essential, or necessary to the success or development of something. It is commonly used in performance reviews, team meetings, and business reports to acknowledge crucial contributions or key factors. The tone is positive and professional.

Examples

• Our customer support team plays a vital role in maintaining high client retention.

  Our customer support team plays a vital role in maintaining high client retention.

• Data analytics will play a vital role in our marketing strategy next year.

  Data analytics will play a vital role in our marketing strategy next year.

• She played a vital role in securing the company's largest contract to date.

  She played a vital role in securing the company's largest contract to date.

• Clear communication plays a vital role in managing remote teams successfully.

  Clear communication plays a vital role in managing remote teams successfully.

• The new software is expected to play a vital role in streamlining our workflow.

  The new software is expected to play a vital role in streamlining our workflow.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ He did a vital role in the project.

  ✓ He played a vital role in the project.

  The verb that collocates with 'role' in English is 'play', not 'do' or 'make'.

• ✗ The marketing team plays a vital role of our success.

  ✓ The marketing team plays a vital role in our success.

  Use the preposition 'in' (not 'of') to specify where or how the role is played.

Related Expressions

Practice

• Technology will ___ in the future of our industry.

  💡 Be an essential factor.

  Show answer

  play a vital role

• Our local partners ___ expanding our business abroad.

  💡 Contributed significantly to.

  Show answer

  played a vital role in