Synonym Chooser

How does the noun juncture differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of juncture are contingency, crisis, emergency, exigency, pinch, straits, and strait. While all these words mean "a critical or crucial time or state of affairs," juncture stresses the significant concurrence or convergence of events.

an important juncture in our country's history

In what contexts can contingency take the place of juncture?

While the synonyms contingency and juncture are close in meaning, contingency implies an emergency or exigency that is regarded as possible but uncertain of occurrence.

contingency plans

Where would crisis be a reasonable alternative to juncture?

Although the words crisis and juncture have much in common, crisis applies to a juncture whose outcome will make a decisive difference.

a crisis of confidence

When might emergency be a better fit than juncture?

The words emergency and juncture are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, emergency applies to a sudden unforeseen situation requiring prompt action to avoid disaster.

the presence of mind needed to deal with emergencies

When would exigency be a good substitute for juncture?

While in some cases nearly identical to juncture, exigency stresses the pressure of restrictions or urgency of demands created by a special situation.

provide for exigencies

How does the word pinch relate to other synonyms for juncture?

Pinch implies urgency or pressure for action to a less intense degree than exigency or emergency.

come through in a pinch

How are the words strait and straits related as synonyms of juncture?

Strait, now commonly straits, applies to a troublesome situation from which escape is extremely difficult.

in dire straits

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of juncture Companies that made sustainability a central pillar now face funding slowdowns and political reversals, rendering 2025 a precarious juncture in the green transition. Michaila Byrne, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Sep. 2025 Green’s appointment comes at a critical juncture for the Academy, which has faced ongoing scrutiny about diversity and inclusion within its ranks. Kimberly Wilson, Essence, 17 Sep. 2025 Hitch your deer to their juncture and lift by pushing the poles inward, one at a time, thus raising the center. Maurice H. Decker, Outdoor Life, 17 Sep. 2025 Now, humanity stands at a pivotal juncture as the laborious, expensive and high-stakes process of attempting to convert such grand visions into reality is actually underway. Jackie Wattles, CNN Money, 12 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for juncture
Recent Examples of Synonyms for juncture
Noun
  • Consumer sentiment fell more than 7 points from December 2018 to January 2019, coinciding with the most recent government shutdown, according to a Committee for Responsible Federal Budget analysis of University of Michigan survey data.
    Max Zahn, ABC News, 30 Sep. 2025
  • Only then would the Israeli military withdraw completely from Gaza, at which point the post-war Gaza plan would turn to economic redevelopment.
    Asher Kaufman, The Conversation, 30 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Nestled near the junction of the 405, 5 and 22 freeways is a sweet little oasis of calm and beauty called the Bowers Museum.
    Penny E Schwartz, Oc Register, 20 Sep. 2025
  • Pitt, driving, brought the car to a stop at the junction.
    Jay Glennie, HollywoodReporter, 19 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • His latest protest fits into his activism against war and follows previous arrests for disrupting Senate hearings over Gaza and domestic health crises.
    Brendan Cole, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Oct. 2025
  • In her usual soft-spoken British accent, she was known for balancing the grim realities of the climate crisis with a sincere message of hope for the future.
    Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 1 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Instead of reacting to every downturn, remind yourself that these moments are temporary and that markets have always recovered over time.
    Andreina Rodriguez, CNBC, 1 Oct. 2025
  • While reflecting on that moment to Variety, Beauvais says her decision to leave was her way of prioritizing herself at the time.
    Giana Levy, Variety, 1 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • The way people typically die in intersections is often because of head-on and T-bone crashes, which the roundabout design addresses, Bryson said.
    Eric D. Lawrence, USA Today, 28 Sep. 2025
  • Pedestrians should cross Myrtle on the west side of the intersection.
    Shannon Tyler, Idaho Statesman, 27 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Similarly, Black-eyed Susans ()—including Goldsturm—develop rich seed heads that support birds such as juncos, sparrows and towhees.
    Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Oct. 2025
  • Mthethwa also faced an ongoing probe that heard allegations by a provincial police commissioner who accused him of attempting to obstruct the prosecution of a former head of South Africa’s Crime Intelligence Services who was being investigated for corruption.
    Nimi Princewill, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • The situation should remind us of dozens of economic bubbles from the past, ranging from 17th Century Dutch tulips to credit default swaps in 2008.
    Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Oct. 2025
  • There’s no question Falvey is in an increasingly difficult situation due to the Pohlads’ unwillingness to invest in the roster he’s tasked with building.
    Aaron Gleeman, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Based on her history of heterosexual extremity, I was concerned, but glad to be proven wrong.
    Rachel Handler, Vulture, 18 Sep. 2025
  • Perhaps the importance of the Ali-Frazier match derives from the extremity of those blood-sport contradictions.
    Vann R. Newkirk II, The Atlantic, 16 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Juncture.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/juncture. Accessed 2 Oct. 2025.

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