JUNCTURE Synonyms: 98 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

juncture

noun

ˈjəŋ(k)-chər

Definition of juncture

as in point

a particular and often important moment in time at the present juncture, I think the country is looking for a strong president

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

as in junction

a place where two or more things are united the water is leaking at the juncture of those two pipes

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in crisis

a time or state of affairs requiring prompt or decisive action we have now arrived at a juncture where something must be done to avert war

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 But that doesn’t much matter at this juncture with this uber-familiar show. — Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026 But researchers haven’t reached that juncture with mental illnesses. — Anand Kumar, The Conversation, 26 Aug. 2026 Summary The electricity grid is at a critical juncture, much like the telecom industry's past shift from landlines to wireless. — Anna Demeo, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026 At this juncture, barring a dramatic change in the ownership situation, the likelihood is that Rockingham won’t have a NASCAR national series race next year. — Jordan Bianchi, New York Times, 30 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for juncture

Recent Examples of Synonyms for juncture

Noun

If wellness is the point of your trip, book one of the 11 wellness rooms, which come with daily access to the gardens for your whole stay.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 Sep. 2026
Just over 1 in 10 Americans lived below the poverty line in 2025, the Census Bureau found, a half-percentage-point drop since 2024.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 16 Sep. 2026

Definition of point

Noun

Broadcom paid its former landlord, PRP Real Assets, $325 million for the 660,000-square-foot research campus near the junction of the 5 and 405 freeways in one of the largest office sales in Southern California in recent years.

— Roger Vincent, Los Angeles Times, 14 Sep. 2026
Located at the junction of three continents—Europe, Asia, and Africa—the region has historically been a crossroads for conquerors, peoples, trade, and ideas.

— Britannica Editors, Encyclopedia Britannica, 9 Sep. 2026

Definition of junction

Noun

These micro-drones usually crash in low-visibility crisis zones where dust, smoke, or pitch darkness blinds cameras.

— Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 18 Sep. 2026
Told in a comic, vibrant tone, this picaresque story follows the very wealthy Taiwanese-Chinese Wang family, who suddenly lose their fortune in the 2008 financial crisis and embark on a California-to-New York road trip, in a final bid for salvation.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 17 Sep. 2026

Definition of crisis

Noun

This type of reinforcement can not only disrupt barking at that moment but also decrease unwanted behaviors.

— BestReviews, Chicago Tribune, 18 Sep. 2026
Rather than simply presenting us with the unequal gender dynamics of the times, Biller’s dialogue can’t help but wink at the audience, underlining every moment of misogyny just in case viewers weren’t smart enough to get it themselves.

— Jourdain Searles, HollywoodReporter, 18 Sep. 2026

Definition of moment

Noun

But, according to Jazmin, Nora had jumped out of the car at an intersection and started running away.

— Connor Sheets, Los Angeles Times, 16 Sep. 2026
For the past three years, LIONS has run LIONS Creators, a program dedicated to the intersection of digital influencers and the creative marketing industry.

— Todd Spangler, Variety, 16 Sep. 2026

Definition of intersection

Noun

What may have surprised even modern sports fans, however, was Ole Miss' suing two of its former players who followed former Rebels coach Lane Kiffin to his new position as head football coach at LSU.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 19 Sep. 2026
The 12-miles a week average is double the pace that the agency's head, Rodney Scott, cited earlier this year.

— CBS News, CBS News, 18 Sep. 2026

Definition of head

Noun

Historically, that’s something that Salt Lake in particular has been good at showcasing given the intense situations that have bonded a group that, save for the felon, have almost all been on this ride since the beginning.

— Tom Smyth, Vulture, 17 Sep. 2026
After monitoring the situation, park managers found the bear unusually difficult to scare away and said its escalating proximity to humans posed a safety risk that was deemed unacceptable, according to the national park.

— Megan Fahrney, ABC News, 16 Sep. 2026

Definition of situation

Noun

The researchers think that the extremity of this shrinking has gone unnoticed previously because bombardment from space rocks over time has created craters that obscured the evidence of this process.

— Robert Lea, Space.com, 10 Sep. 2026
Some saw this reaction as sociopathic, but its extremity was the very point.

— Elizabeth Nicholas, Vanity Fair, 9 Sep. 2026

Definition of extremity

Browse Nearby Words

junctions

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junctures

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“Juncture.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/juncture. Accessed 21 Sep. 2026.

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