crunch time
noun
: a critical moment or period (as near the end of a game) when decisive action is needed
Examples of crunch time in a Sentence
The team had trained well, but at crunch time they just couldn't perform.
with only three minutes left in the game, it was definitely crunch time
Recent Examples on the Web
But the story accelerates in 2021, in crunch time for prospective World Cup cities, as FIFA officials toured 23 of them before picking 16.
—
Henry Bushnell, New York Times, 19 Feb. 2026
Welcome to February’s gym crunch time, when winter sports teams such as basketball are busy with playoffs and spring sports teams such as volleyball are gearing up for the start of their season.
—Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 18 Feb. 2026
Over the last seven years or so, no duo in The Association has closed out tight games the way Joker and Murray could in crunch time.
—Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 11 Feb. 2026
That means getting stops at crunch time.
—Cedric Golden, Austin American Statesman, 30 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for crunch time
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Henry Bushnell, New York Times, 19 Feb. 2026
Welcome to February’s gym crunch time, when winter sports teams such as basketball are busy with playoffs and spring sports teams such as volleyball are gearing up for the start of their season.
—Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 18 Feb. 2026
Over the last seven years or so, no duo in The Association has closed out tight games the way Joker and Murray could in crunch time.
—Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 11 Feb. 2026
That means getting stops at crunch time.
—Cedric Golden, Austin American Statesman, 30 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for crunch time
Cite this Entry
“Crunch time.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/crunch%20time. Accessed 3 Mar. 2026.
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